Before the Beginning
by Cori Shadowfang
Summary: Long before Sora ever picked up the Keyblade, the legend of the Keyblade War was born.  In a world at war that's tormented by an angel of death, a hero is desperatley needed.  However, Gillick, a former Keyblader, doesn't want the job.
1. Enter the Past

_So, here it is. A story about the Keyblade War. This is certainly going to be an interesting ride. Before we start, though, I want to say two things: _

_1. This story, unless I run into problems (pray to God I won't), will be updated every Saturday. Sadly, I'm already having computer issues, but I'll still try._

_2. A __**bolded **__word in the context of the story signals that a time and/or perspective change has occurred._

_Ok, those two things being said, read on. And to those who read _Guardian Twin…_see if you can catch the references._

**Chapter One: Enter the Past**

Yen Sid's old gaze strayed from the book that lay on his desk to the window the let in the light of the stars blazing in the night sky. He sighed heavily. He'd already sent Mickey to retrieve Sora and Riku for their Mark of Mastery exam. It was only a matter of time now before they arrived. Yet, he could not help but feel melancholy. "It appears…time is catching up to me," he murmured.

He felt his gaze drawn back to the book on his desk. It didn't seem like all that long ago that the two Keybladers had defeated Xemnas and Organization XIII. It probably hadn't seemed like all long to the boys, either; none of the Destiny Island trio _would _remember the events that had transpired in the year that had passed.

He shook his head. "Everything moves along so much more quickly than it did before," he murmured. "All because of a boy…who was chosen by the Keyblade." He thought of what he'd been told of Sora, and of what he himself had seen, the events playing in a rewinding sequence through his mind as he closed his eyes:

_A fight against time…_

_Sora and Riku struck the final blow, defeating Xemnas, but at the cost of being sent to the Realm of Darkness…_

_He fought against a mysterious Nobody in the Station of Awakening, not yet knowing the Nobody was his own…_

_Scouring the worlds, looking for the King and Riku…_

_Waking up, after being asleep for a year he didn't remember to regain his memories…_

_Defeating Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, and saving the worlds…_

_Finding himself fighting his best friend, Riku, even though he didn't want to…_

_Searching for his two best friends, Riku and Kairi, and making some new ones - like Donald and Goofy - along the way…_

_Destiny Islands falling apart, and, when it was needed most, the Keyblade appearing in his hands…_

His eyes snapped open as he pulled himself away. "Perhaps it's best…not to get lost in the past." Yet he couldn't help thinking of those whose stories had been buried in the folds of time; those whose tales would soon come to light:

…_Xion dying in his arms…_

…_Jumping into the darkness to save Terra, even if it meant she'd lose herself…_

…_Destroying Vanitas, at the cost of his own heart…_

…_Losing his body, but using his lingering strength to bring his armor to life…_

He sighed. Yes, he knew _those _events would soon come to light, but…what about all the ones that would not? What about the ones of those who sacrificed everything to make sure the trio would even be able to save the worlds one final time?

Yen Sid, of course, was thinking of the events that had transpired during the last year that had passed. However, little did he know, those very words pertained to another…one who was listening to the whispers of the substantial world without really being able to hear them. He hailed from a time long passed…a time when Keybladers were not nearly so rare as they were in the present.

Now, let's rewind, to more than twelve years ago…

"**But **darkness did cover the world once, in legend," the old Keyblade Master rumbled, his voice rough with age. "We know so little about the Keyblade War - only that it was just the beginning. Amidst the crisis, a precious light was found." He turned his gaze behind him, amber eyes glowing as he looked at the man he had trained with as a pupil. "It is a curious tale - and one worth exploring."

He was headless of the growing anxiousness of his companion behind him, instead returning his gaze before him and motioning with his hands for emphasis as he continued. The resulting words ended up in a brief fight, the dark Keyblade Master prevailing.

That was it, then; the stories of the original Keyblade War were little more than legends in the time of these two Keybladers. But there was one, not so far off, who remembered every detail…because he'd lived through it himself. He'd experienced first hand both the darkness - and the light - that can be brought forth from the Keyblade.

This was the beginning of one saga. However, the legend of the Keyblade War begins long before, in a time when the worlds were not many, but one, and Keybladers were not so few in number. It's to go back…

…Before the beginning.

"_**Oh**__, my!"_

_The little boy lifted his brilliant blue eyes at his mother's startled exclamation. He blinked as he looked from the face of his mother to the face of the strange man that stood just inside their doorway. Beside him, he knew his younger brother, Trevor, was happily playing with blocks. He'd never liked blocks; he was much more interested in what the grown - ups talked about. And now he was more curious than ever._

_The strange man smiled, his silver eyes glowing. He frowned. He tugged on the hem of his mother's dress. She looked down, and he whispered, "His eye's are strange, Mommy."_

_She looked appalled that he'd said such a thing, but he didn't understand why. She looked as if she were about to admonish him, but the man cut her off, laughing. "It's quite alright; I'm well aware that my eyes are not something common."_

_The woman sighed, looking down at the boy that stood beside her. "But…did you really mean it?"_

"_Of course."_

_She shook her head, looking at him with wide eyes. "But…they're so young! How can…?"_

_He held up his hand, once more cutting her off. "The oldest one has shown potential. He certainly had a strong heart, to stand up against such odds. Stronger still for trying to continue even after he'd been beaten."_

"_He only faced those bullies to protect Trevor," the woman replied, glancing to the younger boy that was still oblivious to the grown - ups' conversation. The older boy frowned. How could he still be playing with those things?_

"_And you don't think he could do it again, on his own?"_

"_I-I'm not sure," the woman stuttered, looking at her eldest son once more._

_The stranger smiled, and odd glint in his eyes. "Why not let him answer for himself?"_

_When all eyes turned to him, he straightened, blue eyes shining. "I could do it," he puffed proudly._

"_Well, then that settles it." The man hesitated, then added, "With your permission, ma'am?"_

_She exhaled a heavy sigh. "If he agrees, then I'll let you take him with you."_

_The stranger nodded, then turned back to him. The boy noticed his strange eyes once more. They spoke of great power, though his young mind had trouble comprehending what. Then the man extended a hand. Light flared around it, before forming into what look like a strange, oversized key. "This is a Keyblade," the man murmured. "Do you know what a Keyblade is?"_

_He nodded, then recited dutifully, "A Keyblade can only be used by special people. It's magic. The people who have them protect us."_

_The man nodded. "You can be one of those people."_

_The boy gaped. "Me?"_

"_Yes. All you have to do…is take it." The stranger bent down, extending the hand that held the Keyblade. "What do you say…Gillick?"_

**Amber **eyes snapped open. Their owner sat up abruptly, looking around and seeing only the dead of night. He exhaled a heavy sigh. "It was only a dream."

He lifted his head to the moon, eyes narrowing. _Well, it seems I'm never going to escape the past, am I?_ he thought bitterly as he stared up at the glowing sphere. He reached out a hand, grabbing his scabbard from where it lay beside him. He grasped the golden hilt and pulled out the blade, a silent inspection to make sure the weapon was ready when he needed it. The ruins etched into the warrior's blade glowed in the darkness of the night.

He sighed, re-sheathing his sword. _Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore._ He reached up to his face and touched the skin just below his eye. _His eyes had power in them before; now mine do, too._ He closed the amber orbs, letting himself fall backwards and attempting to return to sleep.

He would soon learn, however, that the Keyblade was not something you could escape so easily. And before long, Gillick Nogard would be called to duty once more.

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><p><em>Ok, end of chapter one. Yes, it's a short chapter; that's because it's more of a prologue. Anyways, if you like it, I'd appreciate it if you'd review.<em>


	2. Keybladers

_And this is chapter two. Thank you BookGal26, SkyWarrior2, Burai Stelar, Silverking32, and KeybladeMaster97 for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Two: Keybladers**

Mala watched the streets with eyes that shone from the shadows. She reached her hands behind her and gingerly fingered the bow strapped across her back and the arrows stored in the quiver. Her blue orbs shifted over the people from the dark alleyway as they walked calmly through the streets, unaware of the thief lurking in the shadows. She smirked. _Now's as good a time as any,_ she decided silently.

Looking around cautiously, she quickly took out flint from the sack that hung about her waist and lit a small fire. She removed the bow from her back and strung an arrow to it in one fluid motion. She dipped the tip of the arrow into the pot of oil she'd set out beside her, then shoved it into the flames. She stood and stomped out the flames at the same time that she let the arrow fly lose. The flaming projectile flew on a clear path towards her marker, thankfully uninhibited by any human bodies. She quickly shimmied up the side of a building as the arrow hit the crate she'd placed earlier, causing it to explode into flames. She heard cries of alarm, and her smile grew. All according to plan.

She slipped down the side of the building as the people around the vicinity were worried about the explosion and the hungry flames that had come with it. She opened her pouch and reached inside the stall she'd landed by, managing to pull out and place inside it a loaf of bread and a small fruit while its owner was away. Then she dashed down a different alleyway nearby, running through the familiar twists and turns.

Only after she'd put a fair distance between herself and the scene did she allow herself to stop and rest. She had a wide grin on her face as she slid the bow back onto her back. "Another perfect crime," she commented, opening her pouch and pulling out the fruit. Of course, she'd had plenty of time to practice.

Since she'd been a little girl, Mala had been forced to fend for herself. Orphaned at a young age, she'd quickly learned how to survive on the streets. An old beggar man had been the one who had taught her how to use a bow and arrow, and she was quick to add her own twists to the fighting style. Now, at sixteen, she prided herself on the creativity and efficiency of her crimes.

She had just bitten into the fruit when something slammed into her from behind. She stumbled forward, losing hold of the food, as she heard raucous laughter behind her. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I make you lose your prize?"

Mala's eyes narrowed in fury. "What do you want, Scree?" she hissed, whipping around and reaching for the bow once more.

Before her stood a burly looking boy, the one she'd called Scree, with a few others standing behind him. That made her rethink about taking them on. Scree, she could handle; an entire group of his goonies, she could not.

Scree obviously saw the sudden hesitation in her eyes, because he let out another laugh. "Oh, is the great thief intimidated?"

She knew better than to tell the truth to him. "Why would I be scared of you?"

He smirked. "That's a yes." Mala's glare simply intensified. Her hand closed around the bow, but she didn't remove it just yet. Scree's smirk never faltered, and he leaned forward until his rank breath blew in her face. "Tell you what; you give me your food, and I'll let you go."

"Fat chance." With that, she quickly removed the bow and pulled out an arrow, launching it into the midst of the gang. She then spun on her heel and ran away, closing her pouch in the process. She knew the arrow wouldn't have kept them busy for very long, so she tried to take as confusing a route through the alleys as possible.

Mala was proved right when she heard the sound of footsteps rapidly gaining on her. "Quick! Don't let her get away!" Grimacing, she scaled the side of a small building, running along its roof before jumping down into the open streets. She hoped, perhaps, she could blend in with the crowd and escaped notice.

She had just slipped her bow back onto her back when two goonies appeared from the alleyway not far off. She ducked her head quickly, trying to slink into the throng of people walking through the streets. Unfortunately, no other people had weapons like she did strung safely across their backs. They'd reached her in no time, grabbing her as she tried to run and holding her while they waited for their leader to arrive.

Scree wasn't far behind, his face twisted with fury. "I should thrash you for that. But if you apologize and hand over your food like a good little girl, maybe I'll let it slide."

"In your dreams," she hissed, and spat in his face.

She was sure his goonies were shocked at her brashness as the boy wiped saliva off his face. His eyes burned with fury, and he hissed, "Fine by me!" Then the first blow connected with her stomach. She gritted her teeth against a cry of pain; showing weakness in front of these guys was never a good thing. She braced herself for the next blow.

So she was surprised when Scree's arm was caught by someone else. "What do you think you're doing?" a male voice asked.

Both Scree and Mala turned their gazes to the person who'd stopped the thug's assault. It was a teenage boy, who, if Mala's judgment was correct, was about 18 or 19 years old. He had black hair, and a sword was strapped in a baldric across his back. His amber eyes glittered with an odd light that made her shiver.

Scree jerked his arm away. "I think I'm punishing a little brat," he responded. Mala felt indignant at the comment, but chose not to retaliate.

"Really?" came the boy's skeptical reply. "And you need this many people to do it?"

"Well…" Scree faltered, unsure of how to continue.

The boy snorted, looking unimpressed. "Are you really that incapable of fighting for yourself?"

"I can fight!" Scree snapped in response.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Then why don't you let her go and fight fair?"

"I have a better idea." Scree's eyes glittered with the light of a challenge. "How about I fight you instead?"

Amber eyes narrowed. "Without I weapon? Really? I don't think you want to do that."

Scree lunged forward, crying, "I'll show you!" The boy sidestepped, letting the larger boy fly past him and land with a thud on the ground.

"Oh, yes, you definitely showed me," the boy responded sarcastically.

This only increased Scree's fury. He dashed forward once more, roaring a challenge with his fist pulled back. Once more, the boy easily avoided the assault, this time also lashing out a leg to catch the other's foot. Scree fell flat on his face, much to Mala's amusement.

The black haired boy stood over him. "Do you give up yet?"

"Of course not, you bastard."

The stranger's eyes glittered with frustration. "Why? You won't win."

"Yes, I will!" Scree barked back. He jumped up, lunging for a third time towards the boy.

"Then you'll learn the hard way!" the stranger shouted back. This time, as he dodge Scree's attack, he jerked the blade from its scabbard. Runes flashed on the sword as the stranger swung it towards the boy, and, for a few moments, Mala thought the weapon would cut through him. However, the boy flipped the blade at the last second so that only the flat of the weapon hit his opponent, though from the sound of the loud smack it was hard enough.

Scree looked up at the stranger from his unceremonious place on the ground. "Get out of here!" the boy barked. The gang leader was quick to obey. His goonies looked after him in stunned surprise for a few moments before racing after him, releasing Mala in the process.

"Hey, thanks for that," Mala told him, grinning.

"Don't read anything into it," the stranger hissed back, slipping the weapon back into its scabbard. "I just don't like weaklings who think they're better than everyone else."

Mala frowned; that wasn't a great attitude to have. "Well, you showed him a thing or two, anyways," she offered.

He shrugged, turning and answering without looking at her. "He wasn't that great and opponent.":

"Well, even so, I owe you," she told him. He grunted. Beginning to grow frustrated at his lack of response, she extended a hand, saying, "I'm Mala, by the way."

"Ok."

"…Aren't you going to tell me your name?"

The glanced back at her. "Why does my name matter?"

"Geez, I just wanted to know," Mala replied, lowering her proffered hand.

The boy snorted, then, after a few moments, replied, "Gillick."

Both of their heads shot up at the sound of another voice being raised. "Look! Keybladers!"

"Really?" Mala exclaimed in surprise. She looked in the direction of the town's entrance, then turned her eyes back to Gillick. She was surprised to see him hurrying away. "Wait!" she cried. "Aren't you going to see the Keybladers?"

He paused, looking at her with dark eyes. "Like I said, I don't like weaklings who think they're better than everyone else." With that, he hurried off.

Mala was appalled at his response. The Keybladers were the ones who protected them; that was their job. She had a massive amount of respect for them; for a long time, she'd even considered the idea that she may be able to become one of them. It was a great honor, to be chosen by the Keyblade.

She turned and headed off, in the opposite direction of Gillick, to meet the Keybladers.

**Gillick **didn't slow his pace until he'd managed to put a large distance between himself and the town. He glanced back behind him, then sighed heavily. He didn't want to be anywhere Keybladers were. He couldn't take it.

He looked to the sky. "I wonder…if I could still do it…" Then he shook his head. "No…don't think about it." He looked to his hand. He wasn't even sure if he could call his Keyblade anymore. It'd been two years since the last time he had, and, well…

He shook himself out of his memories. "It doesn't matter," he growled to himself. "Just keep moving. Keep living. That's all that matters." Gingerly touching the hilt of the sword that hung across his back, he strode off once more. All he wanted to do…was escape the Keyblade, and everything that came along with it.

"**What **do you want, Xuren?"

The speaker, a man with pieces of armor strapped across his body and his eyes hidden by his hair, posed the question to the man who'd entered. His hair was spiked low, and a shawl hung over his shoulders to cover the armor that lay beneath. His yellow eyes glittered with a manic light. "Just thought I'd tell you some interesting news I heard, sir."

The man snorted. "Well? Get on with it," he growled, knowing Xuren wouldn't continue the account without an obvious show of interest.

Xuren's slightly crazed smile grew. "Well, the Light Army has been gaining quite a bit of support."

Disgust filled the other man. "How can they fall for those liars' words? Don't they see how blinding the light really is?"

"It seems they went to another town were they were very happily received," Xuren continued, as if the other had never spoken.

"And what is the point of telling me this?" the other man growled quietly, taking a steadying breath to control his mounting anger.

"Well, it seems like we need to do something about it, doesn't it?" Xuren shrugged, his manic yellow eyes glittering with fiendish delight. "Of course, you're the boss."

"So it would seem," the other agreed. "Dispatch a few of our Keybladers at once."

Xuren nodded, then added, "By the way, there were accounts that _he _was there."

The other man snorted, unconcerned. "He can do nothing to us. I doubt he even cares."

"But if he does interfere…?"

"Destroy him."

The crazed grin spread across Xuren's face. That was exactly the answer he'd wanted to hear. "Of course, sir." With that, he headed off. Behind him, he didn't see the long bangs that hung over the man's face part, allowing one blood red eye to gleam in the darkness.

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><p><em>Ok, that's the end of chapter two. Review, please?<em>


	3. Meetings

_And this is chapter three. Thanks go to Flightfoot, My name is of no concern, Burai Stelar, Silverking32, Kamen Rider Ebon, DaniPotterLovesGod, SkyWarrior2, and Imagination Knight for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Three: Meetings**

Blue eyes glittered in the light of the sun. Their owner smiled, looking at the people watching him and his companions with a mixture of awe and excitement. He nodded to them and waved. _They obviously haven't sided with the Dark Army, _he thought as he looked over them. _Or, _he added silently as he looked at their glowing eyes, _they simply have respect for all Keybladers._ It was understandable, since they were supposed to be the protectors of the world, but the thought of anyone showing respect to a resident of the darkness…he shivered involuntarily.

He shook himself out of his thoughts. "Come on," he said, leading the way forward, sunlight glittering off the small plates that stored his armor. "We can't forget why we're here."

"Yes, sir," the Keybladers behind him responded.

The reason they were here, of course, was to win over the town. They had to; if they didn't, the fiends of the Dark Army might. They couldn't let that happen.

"Sir, I heard some…news you might want to hear."

The blue-eyed Keyblader started at the sound of a voice in his ear. "And that is?" he asked, feeling slightly frustrated at having his focus disrupted.

The Keyblader brought a girl forward; one with auburn hair and glittering blue eyes. She blinked in surprise when she saw him. "_You're _they're leader? But…you're my age."

"I'm a general," he corrected her, a small smile tugging on his lips.

The Keyblader beside her began to speak. "This girl-"

"Mala," she corrected instantly.

"-Mala said she saw…_him._"

The blue-eyed general froze. "W-what?" he stammered. He eyed her with surprise glittering in the depths of his blue eyes.

She looked puzzled at his response. "Why do you look so freaked out? It's not that big a deal…I just said I met a guy named Gillick who didn't like Keybladers." She shrugged. "I didn't really get it, either."

He was having trouble thinking. _He…was here?_ "Trevor, sir, are your alright?"

The boy shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "Yes…yes, I'm fine." He turned his gaze back before him. "Come on; we still have a job to do." His mind, however, remained on Gillick. _My brother…what are you doing?_

**Darkness **had begun to settle over the land when Gillick found himself in a small town in a relatively barren landscape. He scrunched his eyes against the dust that blew in his face. _At least I found _somewhere _to shelter,_ he thought in a vain attempt to retain some optimism. He continued forward into the town until he found an inn, which he quickly entered.

The man at the counter looked up at his approach. "Good evening, sir," the man said. "What can I do for you?"

"A room and some food," Gillick replied brusquely. "And don't call me sir."

The man didn't seem put off by his attitude; he probably got it quite a bit from other costumers he received. "Of course." He extended his hand, and Gillick grudgingly placed the required amount of munny within his open palm, the coins exchanged for a small key hanging off a wooden card.

As he sat down at a table, he quickly counted the amount of munny he still had left. He grimaced. _I'll have to find some jobs soon._ He'd never really been fond of the process. He considered looking into mercenary work again, like he had the last few times, but he was never one for being told what to do. He snorted. _Maybe there are a few criminals I can collect bounties on._

"Did you hear about what's happened a few towns over?"

Gillick's ears picked up the snippet of conversation. He instinctively tuned into it, keeping a blank face so as not to reveal that he was eavesdropping. "Yeah; those Light Army scum got another town on their side," a new voice replied.

_So, they're aligned with the Dark Army, _he thought, closing his amber eyes. The Light Army and the Dark Army; two groups of Keybladers who were always fighting with each other, trying to win over people to their side and thus eliminate the other from the world. He snorted. _The bastards should both just disappear. _

He opened his eyes at a dry cough. He looked up, and saw the man that had been standing behind the counter with a bowl in his hand. Seeing he'd gotten his costumer's attention, he handed him the broth. Gillick nodded to him, then turned away.

He'd hoped to be able to eat peacefully and head up the steps to his room and sleep…or at least attempt to. However, he was frustrated to find that would not be the case. "Hey, stranger!"

His eyes narrowed immediately. _Ignore them and maybe they'll go away._ He jerked at a prod in his shoulder. "What?" he snapped, whipping around to look at the owner of the voice.

The man was looking at him with a sly smile. Lurking in his eyes was the light of challenge. He knew the type. "That's a nice sword you got," the man said, indicating the weapon strapped across his back.

Gillick turned away from him. "Don't even think about it; you won't win."

"Who says I was going to challenge you?" the man spluttered.

"Your eyes, genius."

"Oh?" The man walked around so that he stood in front of the table Gillick sat at. He slid a knife out of his sleeve and flipped it idly. "And what would you do if I did this?" Without warning, he lunged the weapon in his hand forward.

Gillick caught his hand with one of his own, effectively stopping the advance of the weapon. His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "Don't test me."

The man seemed surprised he could stop his strike so easily, and his face contorted into a frown. "Or what?"

He didn't bother explaining with words; instead, he jerked the hand that still held the his opponent's knife hand rapidly towards his opposite side, driving it down so that the weapon stuck into the table. He slid out of his seat, dragging one leg forward so that it dragged his opponent's out from under him. As the man fell, he jerked his sword out of its scabbard and slammed the flat against his back. The force from the blow was enough to break through the table he landed on.

Gillick ignored the stares he was now receiving from all eyes in the inn. He simply sheathed his blade, spun on his heel, and stalked through the crowd towards the stairs.

**Cries **of alarm startled Gillick out of his slumber. He immediately reached for the sheathed sword that rested nearby and rolled out of bed. He half-unsheathed his weapon, tensing as he watched the door. When no one entered, he strapped the weapon to his back and went to the window, looking out.

In the open air, the words of the raised alarm were easier to hear. "The Light Army! They're attacking!"

_Shit._ He wasn't about to waste time staying there now. Instead of going the conventional way out of the building, he jumped out the window onto the roof of a nearby building, rolling as he did to avoid the sting of impact. He dashed across the roof before jumping down into the streets. He saw dark figures rushing past him, weapons materializing in the darkness. _The Dark Army going to combat the Light Army._ He noted the direction they were headed, and immediately ran the opposite way. He was already too close to the Keybladers.

He ran through the streets like a shadow. For a few moments, he dared to hope that he'd get out of the town unhindered. However, when he saw more Keybladers appearing up ahead, he realized this was not the case. Growling under his breath, he slipped into an alleyway. He pressed up close to the wall, hiding his form in the deep shadows. He listened for the sound of footsteps bypassing him.

The sound of footfalls suddenly stopped. He shifted his eyes, not daring to reach for his sword just yet. Then he heard a sickening and familiar squelching sound, along with a choked cry. _So, they were from the Light Army, _he thought grimly. He remained where he was, waiting for them to continue on.

Then he heard voices. "Hey, what should we do with these two?"

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll fight them," a small voice said.

"Not now, dear," a female one replied.

Gillick closed his eyes, tipping his head back against the wall in frustration. Wondering if their new captives would provide him enough of a distraction for him to escape, he began to edge along the side of the wall. "There've sided with the Dark Army," another voice replied. "Kill them."

He had no responsibility to those people; in all honesty, he had little interest in saving them. But he gritted his teeth and the sound of the Keyblader's voice. Before he'd realized what he was doing, his sword had come free of its scabbard and he'd jumped out of the alleyway. For the second time that night, he heard the sound of a blade thrusting itself through flesh and blood. The man who he'd impaled arched his back, an odd gurgling sound coming from his throat. Then Gillick jerked his weapon backward, freeing it from the Keyblader, who fell lifeless to the ground.

The other Keybladers were looking at him in stunned surprise, their weapons still poised to strike the woman and child that they surrounded. He looked at them, the runes on his sword glowing and casting him in an eerie light. "I suggest you leave," he hissed at them.

One of the Keybladers broke free of his stupor. He lunged forward with a wild cry. Gillick stepped to the side, blade singing as it swept through the air and felled another opponent. "Wrong choice."

"Who are you?" another Keyblader hissed at him. He sounded wary.

"No one you need to worry about," he replied. Silently, he added, _How do I always manage to get myself into these things?_ He jerked the hand holding his bloodied sword towards the exit to the town. "Leave, now."

"You killed the captain."

"No shit," he growled, rolling his eyes. "Just know that I never kill without a good reason." His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You're for the Dark Army, too," the Keyblader hissed.

His weapon was at his throat in a second. "Listen very carefully," Gillick hissed to the stunned warrior of the Keyblade. "I. Want. Nothing. To. Do. With. The. Keyblade." He enunciated each word carefully, making sure the message sunk in. "Got it?"

"Y-yeah," the other man choked out, eyes wide.

He pulled his blade back. "Like I said, I won't kill without good reason," he growled. "So I suggest you leave before I find one." The Keybladers fled without looking back.

He snorted, wiping his blade off on the ground. "Wow, that was amazing!" He looked up at the sound of the boy's voice. "The way you fought those Light Army scum!"

He sheathed his sword. "If you say so."

"Thank you, sir," the woman said, eyes brimming with gratitude. "You saved us."

"Obviously." He began to walk away.

"Hey! Could you teach me to be a hero, too?" the boy called after him.

He stopped in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder, his heart feeling oddly heavy. "Hero? You've got the wrong person, kid. I'm nothing of the sort."

"Well, then what are you?"

He began walking forwards once more, saying as he left, "I'm just someone trying to get by."

**The **leader of the light army turned his silver eyes to Trevor, their depths glittering with surprise. "What did you say?"

"He was at the town…and…I think he was at the attack, too." The boy seemed to feel uncomfortable at having to report this information to his leader.

The other man shook his head. "The fool. Doesn't he understand that to save this world, the light must purge the monsters that hide in the dark?"

"Obviously not," muttered Trevor. Why couldn't his brother see reason? It would make things so much easier.

The other man heaved a troubled sigh. "Well, you know what must be done if you meet him."

Trevor ignored his heavy heart. "For the sake of the Light Army," he whispered.

The other man nodded, silver eyes glittering in the starlight. "End him."

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><p><em>And that's the end of chapter three. Reviews are always appreciated!<em>


	4. Angel of Death

_This is chapter four. Thank you Flightfoot, KeybladeMaster97, Burai Stelar, Silverking32, UmmeiNinja, Graphicsnerd, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter! _

**Chapter Four: Angel of Death**

Much as he disliked the idea, Gillick returned to the small town the next morning. _I'm already sick of being around people, _he thought as he walked through the streets. He saw the marks of the fight from the night before littering the area. In the end, the Keybladers from the Dark Army had driven the ones from the Light Army off. However, bodies and blood still filled the town. He looked at the dejected people as they cleaned up their home, and hoped desperately that he'd be out of there soon.

He found a bulletin board that was mostly intact on the side of a building. He scanned it over and narrowed his eyes in frustration. "No wanted posters," he growled. How was he supposed to earn munny like this? Resignedly, he walked into the building, wondering if maybe they'd forgotten to put one up, or if someone needed mercenary work done.

"I have no time to talk," a man told him quickly as he entered through the threshold. He hurried over to him, trying to shoo him off. "I need to clean up around here."

Gillick didn't budge. "This won't take long."

The man looked like he was about to argue, then, seeing the other's amber eyes, hesitated. "Your eyes…"

"What about them?" Gillick asked, said orbs flashing dangerously.

"They're…" he cut himself off abruptly, noticing the warning that glittered in the golden depths. He shook himself. "Yes, well, I guess I can spare a few moments. How can I assist you?"

"I'm a mercenary, of a sort," he informed the other, reaching a hand up to touch the hilt of his sword for emphasis. He saw the man shrink back, and he added in exasperation, "No, I'm not here to kill _you._ I wanted to know if there was anyone around here who had work I could take on."

"Uh, w-well…" the man trailed off, looking flustered. "The Keybladers take care of most things, I guess, but…"

"But…?"

The man looked nervous. "There is…this one." He hurried to the back, leaving Gillick impatiently waiting until he returned with a sheet of paper. He handed it to him, saying, "No one's been able to take her out yet."

Gillick looked at the poster that he now held in his hands. "'Silver?'" he asked, reading the name listed below the picture of a woman with boyish blond hair and green eyes.

"She's been causing lots of problems, I hear. However, it's difficult to even _find _her, let alone fight her. No one who's tried to catch her has ever returned, so we took the poster down." The man's eyes glittered nervously. "Are you sure…?"

"Yes." He folded the paper and slipped it into his munny pouch.

As he began to leave, he heard the voice of the man behind him calling, "Wait! Your eyes…they're gold…"

He hesitated briefly at the doorway. _They didn't used to be, _he thought, remembering their former blue sheen and feeling his heart begin to grow heavy. He tried to shake it off quickly. _Rule number one: trust will be the end of you. Remember what happened before?_

He walked out the door without a second glance.

**Mala **found that she couldn't sleep that night. She frowned, looking up to the sky, the only light provided by the full moon. She'd heard about what had happened at a town not too far off the night before. Since their's was under the protection of the Light Army, now…_The Dark Army might come back to retaliate._ She absently touched the bow and quiver of arrows that rested beside her, her back pressed to the side of the building she sat against.

Suddenly, she saw something flit across the moon. She immediately grabbed her bow and jumped to her feet, eyes narrowed. She stood there, tensed, for a few moments, ready for something to jump out at her. When nothing happened, she relaxed, giving a half-laugh, half-sigh. "You're seeing things, Mala. There's nothing to worry-"

A high pitched scream cut her off mid sentence.

"…about," she finished slowly. She swallowed hard, listening for any other cries as she slowly reached down and picked up her quiver, slipping it over her head and one shoulder. There was an eerie silence that spanned a few moments. Then another scream rent the night air.

Against her better judgment, Mala ran out into the streets. More cries could be heard now, but she couldn't see what the cause of them was. She immediately pulled an arrow out of her quiver, stringing it on her bow as she stared warily into the darkness. _I really wish I could see something,_ she thought.

The screams were getting closer. She took a few steps backwards reflexively. She figured it was probably a good idea to head back into the alley and make her way away from the screams. Then she saw a shadow, a blue glow attached to it. And suddenly, she seemed to cease thinking.

"**Sir!"**

Trevor was in panic. He found the leader of the Light Army already walking towards him. "I heard the screams. Is it the Dark Army?"

Trevor swallowed hard. "Worse. It's…"

The other man's eyes widened. He knew exactly what he was talking about. "The Knight," he whispered. Trevor gave a shaky nod. "Don your armor, quickly. There's no time to waste; not with an enemy like this one."

"Sir, have you ever fought the Knight before?" Trevor asked as he slammed the panel that would release his armor.

"Once," the other replied, his own armor appearing in a burst of light. "It's a merciless bastard. Be ready."

Trevor nodded heavily. Then they both summoned their Keyblades, and raced out to face their enemy.

**Mala's** hand shook as she held her weapon. The shadow was coming towards her, and she had no doubts that she was its next victim. _Focus. Try not to panic._ She lifted her bow, firing her arrow towards the small patch of glowing blue. The shadow easily twisted away. She quickly pulled out another arrow, firing it, and finding the speed of the shadow still superior to her arrows. She tried shooting three at once, taking a few paces back as she did so. She assumed the shadow wouldn't be able to dodge them. She was wrong, as she watched it jump over her projectiles.

By now, it was too close to do anything. She stumbled backwards, watching as the shadow and its glowing blue lunged for her…

"Firaga!"

The giant ball of fire slammed into the shadow, sending it flying backwards. Mala glanced over her shoulder, and saw several Keybladers - covered fully by armor - running towards her and the shadow, Keyblades ready. One stopped beside her. "Are you Ok?"

She recognized the voice of the general called Trevor. "Just shaken," she replied. Then she looked to the shadow. Some of the flames from the Firaga spell had spilled onto the street, lighting flammable objects and casting the town in an orange glow. "What _is_ that?"

"A monster that we call the Knight," Trevor replied. Both looked to the former shadow. It was easy to see why it was called the Knight; almost its entire body was covered in armor. The glow, Mala saw, was coming from an exposed area on its left arm. The flames cast it in a lurid glow. "No one knows where it came from, but we do know that, wherever it appears, death and destruction are sure to follow."

"Trevor, we need your help!" another Keyblader barked.

He turned his hidden eyes to look at her. "You have to get out of here! Now!" Then he raced off to help his comrades.

Mala, at first, had no intention of following that order; she wasn't thrilled with the idea of people telling her what to do. Then the Knight looked at her. She froze, feeling like a piece of potential prey being eyed by a predator. Twin lights flashed in the tinted glass of its helmet. She shivered. Were those its…_eyes?_

Then Keybladers swarmed the Knight, and she was set free from its trance. She was overcome by inexplicable fear, and she fled. She hated herself for it, but she couldn't stop. She ran out of the town's boundaries and far beyond. All she knew…was that she had to get away from that thing.

**Trevor **couldn't help the fear he felt at the sight of the creature known only as the Knight. Until now, he'd only heard stories of it. It came in the night without warning, destroying towns and killing anyone it came into contact with. Sometimes there were people who were lucky enough to get away. More often there weren't. He'd always thought it was just a myth, until now. Until now.

The Keybladers were converging on the beast quickly. He took a steadying breath. _Relax. It doesn't matter how strong it's _said_ to be. All of us together can take it…right?_ But he couldn't help thinking of the genuine fear he'd seen in his leader's eyes; something he'd never seen before. He may have escaped the Knight once, but it had left a lasting impact on him.

Trevor tried to swallow his fear, lunging forward to join in with the fray. The Knight was striking at the Keybladers around it, the sounds coming from its helmet sounding human and yet, and the same time…not. He lifted his Keyblade to slash it across the upper arm, the only part of the creature that was unarmored.

His attempt was met with a blow to the midsection. He gasped as the air was forced out of him and he was sent flying backwards. He skidded through the dirt, gasping for breath. _What power, _he thought, pushing himself back up.

He looked to where the Knight still stood amidst the flickering flames. It lifted its hand, and a ball of fire shot from it, exploding and sending sparks flying. The ball itself had collided with a Keyblader; it tore the armor apart and seared the warrior's flesh, causing a bloodcurdling cry to rise from the man. "It can use magic?" he gasped, eyes wide as he looked at the monster still attacking his comrades.

"Guess we know why it's feared," another Keyblader commented as she jumped back in surprise, along with the rest of the Keybladers. Her voice was grim.

The Knight, now that the Keybladers had backed off a bit, moved swiftly out of the light of the fire back into the shadows. From them, it fired spell after spell after spell, only coming back into the light of the flames for a few brief seconds. The ones that it chose to strike never stood a chance. "How do we stop that thing?" Trevor gasped, unable to pinpoint the Knight and fearing what may happen if he did. A Thunder spell burst from the shadows, and two Keybladers scrambled away from the magic. The monster stepped out from its dark hiding place, hungry flames licking at its armor. The Knight lifted its helmeted head and let out an inhuman roar.

Then he saw the Light Army's leader dash forward. While the monster seemed to be reveling in its gory triumph, the Keyblader took advantage of the distraction, Keyblade lashing out to collide with the armored chest of the Knight. The roar cut off abruptly, sounding almost choked, and the Knight stumbled backwards. Trevor gaped. "He…he hit him." Then, a grin spread across his face, and he whooped, "He _hit _him!"

And he wasn't stopping with one blow. The man strung together a barrage of strikes, pounding at the Knight's armor but, though denting it, never managing to break through. The Knight, caught off guard, could only endure the hits.

The leader of the Light Army paused for only a split second in his combo to catch his breath. Then he swung again.

However, it appeared a split second was all the Knight needed. The monster lashed out both arms, grabbing the Keyblade as it swung for him. Two pairs of unseen eyes glared at each other as the two struggled. Then the Knight lifted one hand, firing a Blizzard spell at the Keyblader. Then man gasped as he was sent flying, Keyblade wrenched out of his hand. The Knight tossed the weapon aside, stalking towards the fallen man.

Trevor knew his leader wouldn't recover in time. "Sir!" he cried in alarm, dashing forward. Fire cloaked his Keyblade, and he lifted the weapon to strike the Knight. A clang sounded as it slashed across the monster's armored back.

He barely had time to blink before it had swung around. He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground in shock and fear, Keyblade clattering uselessly beside him. He stared at the Knight as it loomed over him. He shook, sure it was about to deal the final blow.

Then he saw something he didn't expect. He heard something that sounded like metal grating against metal, and from the monster's back, he saw wings with black feathers grow. The Knight gave one last snarl, then sprang into the night air, dark broken wings carrying it away until it was no more than a shadow in the sky.

Trevor tore his helmet off after it had left. He gasped in the air as the flames around him began to die. He couldn't stop the shivering that wracked his body. And he couldn't help wondering how he'd survived.

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><p><em>And there's the end of chapter four. Please review?<em>


	5. Walking Alone

_And here's chapter five. Thank you KeybladeMaster97, Silverking32, and DaniPotterLovesGod for reviewing last chapter._

**Chapter Five: Walking Alone**

Xuren surveyed the small town under the protection of the Light Army from his hiding place in the shadows. He snickered as he watched the shaken forms of the Light Army Keybladers try to help the citizens of the small town put their home back together. He saw a few citizens approach Trevor and ask him about his face to face experience with the Knight once more. The young general, however, still seemed too shaken by the experience to give a good reply.

Xuren had a wide smirk plastered on his face. It was convenient that the Knight had attacked; it saved the Dark Army the trouble of doing it themselves. Then his smirk slipped away. The Knight may had provided them with revenge, of a sort, but it meant that it may still be close by. And that didn't bode well for them, either.

He turned his yellow eyes back to the carnage that filled the town. The smirk slipped back into place. "Perhaps I should spread a little more mayhem before I leave," he hissed, summoning his Keyblade. Lifting the weapon, he let off a Fire spell. The flaming projectile flew and collided with a small shack, causing it to burst into flames and forcing the workers to jump back.

"Fire!"

"Is it the Dark Army? Or did the Knight come back?"

"But the Knight never comes during the day!"

He released his weapon, spinning around and walking away. It was amusing how much panic one spell could cause. However, he couldn't stay long to enjoy the disarray of the Light Army scum; he had to report the presence of the Knight to the leader of the Dark Army.

Unbeknownst to him, Trevor had shifted his blue eyes away from the fire. The shining orbs narrowed as he watched the shape that was slinking off into the shadows of the alley.

**Gillick **had ended up weathering the night amidst the rocks in the somewhat barren landscape. When his eyes snapped open in the morning, he had to shield them from the glaring sunlight. He exhaled a heavy sigh, pushing himself up. He slipped the wanted poster out of his munny bag, examining the picture of Silver once more before putting it away once more. Then he jumped to his feet, slipping his sheathed weapon across his back and starting forward.

He hesitated as he heard a sound behind him. He reached up, his hand brushing the hilt of his sword. He glanced over his shoulder, amber eyes narrowed in a menacing glare. Nothing stirred. He snorted, lowering his hand. _Stop imagining things, _he growled to himself, going forward once more.

The sound erupted behind him once more. This time, he didn't hesitate. In one fluid movement, he reached up and jerked his sword out of its scabbard, spinning around and swinging towards the source of the noise. There was a yelp of surprise, and he stopped his sword just short of lopping off someone's head.

That 'someone' happened to be a young boy with dark blond hair who wore a shocked expression on his face. His mind flashed with recognition; this was the boy he'd saved the other night. "What are you doing here?" he hissed, straightening and re-sheathing his weapon.

The boy shook off his shock and fear. "Wow! That was really cool! Could you teach me to do that?"

Gillick's eyes narrowed. "Answer the question."

He blinked over-large eyes at the older boy. "I followed you. And it wasn't easy, either. I thought you'd notice me so many times, and one time the tracks disappeared-"

"I meant _why_," Gillick interrupted.

"Because I want to be a hero, like you."

He snorted, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I thought I told you I wasn't a hero."

"Yes you are!" the boy cried in response. "You saved Mom and I from those Light Army bullies."

He flinched at the word 'bullies', trying to stop the memory from flashing through his mind:

"_Leave him alone!"_

"_Gil! Look out!"_

"_You're asking for it, kid."_

"_Gah!"_

"I'm not interested in having a side-kick!" Gillick snapped as he pulled himself out of the memory. He spun around, heading away from the boy. "I work alone."

He heard footsteps behind him, and closed his eyes shut in frustration. The kid obviously didn't get the message. "Hey, what's your name? I'm Riun."

"I'm Gillick, if it's any of your concern," he growled back, quickening his pace.

Riun jogged to keep up. "Where are we going?"

"There is no 'we'," Gillick snapped, frustrated.

"Yes there is; I'm not going to leave now."

Gillick stopped abruptly, grabbing the collar of the kid's shirt and swinging him around so that he faced him. "How old are you?" he growled. "Six? Seven?"

"Nine," Riun responded indignantly, despite the fear glittering in his eyes at the older boy's sudden action.

"There's my point," Gillick growled. "I'm going to kill someone. You'd just get in the way." He tossed him backwards. "Go back home."

"But…I want to learn how to be a hero," he pouted. "And…_Keybladers _are chosen younger than I am."

Gillick froze. Keybladers…it always seemed to come back to them. He gritted his teeth as he heard Riun pipe up from behind him once more. "So, can I come?"

Once more, the sword flew from its scabbard. He hit the boy with the flat of his blade, sending him flying with terrifying force. "Leave me be!" he snarled. Then he shoved his weapon back into its sheath and raced off.

He knew that he should feel bad for attacking the kid; however, he couldn't muster up the emotion. Perhaps he'd simply spent too long on his own to let something like that bother him. What did bother him, however, were the memories that were pouring into his mind.

That boy…he reminded him of Trevor.

With a heavy heart, he wondered what his younger brother was doing now. The last he'd seen of him, Trevor had been a furious warrior of the Keyblade, fighting for the forces of the Light Army. He hadn't seen him in two years, since the last time he summoned his Keyblade. He probable hated him.

After all, the last time he'd seen him was when he'd tried to kill him.

**Riun **whimpered. The pain from the blow of Gillick's sword echoed through his body. He sniffed, brushing away tears. _No crying. Heroes have to be tough._

But then, why had the other boy hit him? When he managed to push himself up, the only thing he could see of the figure he'd been following was a black spot racing off into the distance. He deflated. Maybe following him _had _been a bad idea. He didn't think a hero would attack a little boy, after all.

"But I'm not a little boy," he argued aloud. He stood up quickly, ignoring the protests of his body. "Maybe it means he thinks I'm tough enough! Maybe…this is a test!" After all, he could have hit him with the sharpened edges. Instead, he'd hit him with the flat, and not hard enough to break anything.

Riun gave a determined nod. "Yeah! I'll keep going! I'll show you that I can be a hero, too!"

**Mala **was huddled under a rocky overhang. Her hands were wrapped around her knees as she panted. Her head rested on said knees, and she tried to regain control over the fear that raged inside her.

The task was easier said than done.

Every time she closed her eyes, the image of the Knight seared her mind once more. Its movements, full of speed and power; its glowing arm; the eyes that flashed behind the tinted glass in its helmet. Even the Keybladers were terrified of it. It exuded an aura of power, and seemed to be completely lacking any form of human conscious, despite it's humanoid appearance.

She wondered how Trevor and the other Keybladers had faired. She hoped they were Ok. Once more, she cursed herself for running away. If she'd stayed and helped out, she would've already known whether or not everyone was alright.

As a thief, she'd long since learned to be wary and pick her battles wisely. Long ago, she'd decided it was better to be a living coward than a dead hero. And yet…she couldn't shake the guilt she felt at running away. Maybe it was because she knew what she was leaving them to…

"Stop it," she whispered to herself. "You're still alive, aren't you? So stop moping and keep living."

She inhaled deeply, then lifted her head. As she looked out, she saw the familiar dusty landscape begin to fade to green grass on the horizon. Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet. She slipped out from beneath the rocky over hang, walking out across the barren landscape towards the greener fields she saw beyond.

**Deep **within the recesses of a hidden cave, an old man stood, hands folded behind his back. The cave was cast in an odd mesh of stark highlights and deep shadows, despite the only light coming from the sphere that hovered before the man. A mist wreathed around the floor, adding shades of gray to the stark black and white.

The man's tired old eyes gazed into the sphere. Within its glowing blue depths, he saw the image of the Knight. "Perhaps I made a mistake," he whispered.

The image shifted of its own accord. The man resigned himself to watching the new scene. After all, he had no control of the temporal magic. The image refocused into the image of Xuren, talking to the leader of the Dark Army. Their voices echoed off the walls of the cave.

"_The Knight?"_

_Xuren nodded. "Apparently, it wrecked and entire village."_

_The leader of the Dark Army pursed his lips, his anxiousness shown in the thin line. "We'll have to set up a watch. We can't afford to have this monster striking us unawares."_

"_Of course."_

The man watched with shadowed eyes as the image changed again. This time, it was to the town that had been attacked. Trevor and the leader of the Light Army were talking as they walked slowly through the streets.

"…_At least most of the bodies are gone," Trevor whispered, though his voice still held the lingering terror of the night before._

_The other nodded gravely. "But it will be a while before their minds can recover."_

_Trevor nodded grimly. "For any of us to recover."_

The image switched again. This time, the image surprised the man.

_Gillick ran, as if trying to escape the ghosts of his past. And, truthfully, he was. His thoughts echoed throughout the cave:_

I walk alone.

The man stepped back from the sphere. The images within its depths flickered out. He gave a heavy sigh, looking up to the ceiling. "The truth is hard to swallow when it's not what you want to hear," he whispered. He lowered his head. "So many paths are being crossed…how long before their hearts connect?"

There was very little he knew for sure at the moment. However, what he did know was that the journey had only just begun.

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter five. Review, please?<em>


	6. Duty of a Keyblader

_This is chapter six. Thank you Silverking32, caitlinkeitorin, Oishii Hanashi, Kamen Rider Ebon, and KeybladeMaster97 for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Six: Duty of a Keyblader**

"_Master, when will I get my Keyblade?"_

_The leader of the Light Army glanced down at the young form of Gillick. He smiled as he looked into his pupil's wide blue eyes. "That will depend on the strength of your heart."_

_Gillick's lips twisted into a frown. "That's…because it's connected to it, right?"_

"_Correct," his master replied._

"_Master Tollun, when did you get your Keyblade?"_

"_Me?" Tollun paused to consider his student's question. "Well, I guess I was only a year or two older than you are now."_

"_So why am I your only pupil?"_

"_So many questions," Tollun sighed, shaking his head. He must have realized his young student wouldn't let him get away without answering, though, because he continued, "I see great potential in you, Gillick. I believe that, one day, you could very well surpass even me."_

_His normally stoic student suddenly lit up. "Really?"_

_Tollun nodded. "Now, Gillick, what is the duty of a Keyblader?"_

_Gillick's lips contorted into a thoughtful frown. "Um…to protect people."_

"_That's right. We can't let the Dark Army hurt anyone."_

_Gillick shivered. "Mommy told me they might come and get me if I was bad." He scuffed his foot in the dirt. "They're not very good Keybladers."_

_Tollun laughed at his student's remark. "No, they aren't, are they?" He bent down and ruffled the six-year-old's hair. "We'll make up for them, won't we?"_

_Gillick nodded enthusiastically, blue eyes shining. "Yeah! I'll be the best Keyblader ever!"_

**Gillick **jolted awake, his body swinging itself into a sitting position of its own accord. His amber eyes narrowed to furious slits at his reaction. "Damn it!" he growled, slamming his fist against the tree he'd lain against. "Why can't these memories just go away? I've given up the Keyblade."

He exhaled heavily, looking up to the moon shining in the sky. It was beginning to wane; it wouldn't be long until it would be too dark for anything to dare to venture out into the night. He snorted, leaning back against his tree. Up ahead, he could see a copse of them stretching across the horizon. Knowing that he wouldn't be getting any more sleep, and pulled his weapon on over his head and began to trudge off towards the line in the distance.

His eyes narrowed as he saw a faint bump in the grass up ahead. His first thought was that it was something waiting to ambush him. Then he mentally berated himself. _I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to sleep out in the open like that._ So he didn't bother to try and go around it.

He regretted it when it jerked suddenly as he stepped on it. For a few seconds, he found himself falling through the air. He regained his composure quickly, managing to duck into a roll and spin around as he came up, withdrawing his sword in the process. Before him, the thing he'd stepped on unfurled itself to reveal a very startled human. It quickly withdrew a bow and arrow from its back, launching the projectile towards him. He jumped to the side quickly, bringing his sword up so that it rested against his assailant's neck.

As he looked into eyes that looked both frightened and determined, Gillick realized he knew who'd attacked him. And from the sudden recognition that flashed in her eyes, he knew that she'd figured out who he was, as well. "What are you doing here?" he hissed, sliding his sword back in its sheath.

"Not a very friendly welcome," Mala mumbled in response, putting her bow back on her back and going to retrieve her arrow.

"You're the one who attacked me," Gillick growled back.

"You stepped on me."

His eye twitched. "Answer the question!"

She glared at him. "My town was attacked by some monster called the Knight. I escaped."

"The Knight?" The name sounded familiar. He tried burrowing into his memories to figure out where he'd heard it before.

Mala nodded her assent. "It was…creepy." She shivered at the memory. "It was almost entirely covered in armor, with a glowing part on its left arm and eerie glowing eyes that flashed from its helmet."

Gillick's mind clicked, and he gave a slow nod. "I've heard about it before," he replied, thinking of the ruined towns he'd discovered a few times, and the frightful tales he'd heard from some of the people in neighboring villages. He shrugged the thoughts away. "It's of little importance to me," he added, walking forward.

Mala whipped around to look at him in surprise. "'Little importance?'" she repeated in shock. She hurried to keep up with him. "It's evil! It kills and destroys without a second thought! How can you say that's not important?"

"It seems to stay out of _my _way." His eyes shifted towards her. "A lesson some others should learn."

She glared at him. Then her eyes glittered with an odd light. When she spoke again, it sounded like she was choosing her words carefully. "Maybe…we should travel together."

"No."

"Why not?" she argued. "Two's better than one, right?"

"The only reason you want to travel with me is because you're scared of the Knight." She opened her mouth, as if to protest, but closed it again at his look. "I'm not interested in hanging around with cowards." _Or anyone else, for that matter._

"I'm not a coward!" she complained.

He snorted. "If you need someone to hold your hand, you can go find that little pest I left back there." He pointed his finger in the general direction he'd last seen Riun. He wondered briefly if the kid had decided to head home, or if he was still trying to follow him.

Mala stopped short and gaped at him. "You…left a little kid all alone out here?"

"Yeah."

"Don't you see anything wrong with that?"

His eye twitched again. "He came out here on his own, so no."

Gillick imagined she looked disgusted behind him. It was a good thing he'd long since stopped caring about that. "Well," she growled, "I thought you were someone cool when you saved me from those goonies. Now I know you're just as bad."

"I'll let you know when I care."

"It's a good thing we have Keybladers; you could learn something from them!"

He stopped dead in his tracks. "What?"

"I said that you could learn something from the Keybladers. They're a lot more noble than you are."

Gillick clenched his fists. _'A Keyblader's duty is to protect.'_ "And you believe their lies?" he snarled, spinning around to glare at her.

Her eyes narrowed in response. "They aren't lies!"

He snorted. "Of _course _they aren't," he growled sarcastically. "Just like you aren't a petty, cowardly thief, who only acts tough when it'll preserve your own hide."

He felt some form of satisfaction by watching her flounder for a response and being unable to find one. Then he spun around, stalking forward through the shadows and the faint light of the moon.

He looked up at the glowing sphere that hung in the sky. He knew he should probably try and sleep again…but he also knew what would invade his dreams if he did. He snorted, steeling himself for a long night as he searched for his quarry.

**Mala **spent the rest of the night huddled in the field. She felt resentful of what Gillick had said to her. "I'm not a coward," she muttered, hugging her knees. But she couldn't help thinking about all the times she'd run away from fights and problems. She flinched at the sting of truth she still felt from the boy's words.

She eventually managed to fall into a restless sleep. It didn't last long, however.

"Got to…keep…going…"

Her eyes flickered open at the sound of a voice and weary footsteps dragging through the grass. She looked around quickly, and found the source; a young boy that was trudging towards her, looking exhausted. "Hey, kid!" she called. She jumped up and jogged over to him. "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

"I'm…following someone," the boy replied tiredly. "He's…going to teach me…to be a hero."

Mala's mind flashed to the memory of earlier that night. "You must mean Gillick," she murmured.

The boy nodded. "Yeah."

She shook her head. "Hey, what's your name, kid?"

"Riun."

"Well, Riun, I'm Mala. And I can tell you that you don't want to be following _that_ jerk." She jerked her thumb in the direction Gillick had headed off.

"Yes, I do!" Riun protested. "He's going to teach me…" He suddenly wavered on his feet. He staggered, falling down.

Mala caught him quickly. She looked at him in surprise. _Poor kid. Must be exhausted._ Looking at him, she wondered if she should follow Gillick's example and leave him. After all, he would slow her down. And if the Knight found her…she shivered at the thought.

On the other hand, though, he _was _just a little kid. He wouldn't be able to defend himself. A _Keyblader _wouldn't let him stay out here all by himself.

Guilt eventually won out. With a resigned sigh, she hoisted the sleeping boy onto her back. She slowly headed off as the sun began to break the horizon.

**Xuren **was already growing tired of the night watches. He was glad to see the light of the sun begin to streak the horizon. Grumbling under his breath, he opened a Corridor of Darkness and stalked through it.

He emerged in a dimly lit area. The leader of the Dark Army sat before him. He didn't seem surprised to see him. "Anything to report?"

"No."

"Good."

"No, it's not," Xuren growled in frustration.

"You know you can't handle the Knight," the leader of the Dark Army responded dryly.

"Really? Because that _boy_ came away unscathed." He was vibrating with fury at the insult. "He's _his_ brother, you know."

"You think I'd forget?" The leader of the Dark Army sounded like he was growing frustrated.

Xuren hesitated. He was pushing the limits, and he knew it. However, he still had a point to make. "I'm tired of sitting around. I want some action!"

"I already told you that you could kill him if he interferes," the other man sighed, waving him off.

He would not be deterred. "That's not enough. Let me do something else. Something…" a half-crazed smirk crossed his face, and his eyes glittered, "…more exciting."

He was sure one eyebrow would be raised beneath the overly-long bangs that covered the dark Keyblader's eyes. "If you're really so desperate," he growled finally, "we never really did get revenge on the Light Army for the attack the other night. The Knight got there before us." His eyes glittered madly. "I'll take care of that, then."

"Find a different village than the one attacked by the Knight, though," his leader called after him.

"Of course." He opened a Corridor of Darkness, stepping through it.

He emerged to morning light, and a quaint little village sitting in a forest glen. His eyes glittering with fiendish delight, he summoned his Keyblade. Then his attack began.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter six. What do you think? Reviews are greatly appreciated!<em>


	7. Armorless

_And this is chapter seven. Thank you Silverking32, Oishii Hanashi, Burai Stelar, Graphicsnerd, and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Seven: Armor-less**

Gillick's feet were beginning to drag as he traveled through the woods. He quickly tried to shake off his tiredness. That wouldn't help him at all in finding Silver. He exhaled slowly. _At least the scenery's different, _he thought dryly, not the least bit sorry to be off the barren stretch and endless fields. With nothing to do but travel, such sights quickly got boring.

A scream suddenly cut through the air. His head shot up in surprise. Multiple screams could now be heard, slicing cleanly through the tranquil forest and disrupting the former calm. He narrowed his eyes. _Joy. Now I have to take a detour._ He sighed heavily, moving to take a path that would lead him away from the echoing sounds of the screams.

He wondered, as a passing thought, what was causing the terror that would bring about such cries. Then his mind winged back to what Mala had told him the night before; the Knight was nearby. He snorted, not at all excited about the thought.

Then his mind found itself wandering back to the task at hand. Almost immediately, his mind made a connection that brought him up short. Slowly, he pulled out the wanted poster of the woman named Silver. "Hard to find her, impossible to come back after finding her," he muttered, staring at the picture. He turned his head towards the sound of the screams, thinking that sounded a lot like what the Knight was described as.

He didn't like the idea of going to whatever village was being attacked; most issues like that were simply a waste of his time. However, the likelihood that Silver was the Knight was too great for him to ignore. So, reluctantly, he folded the wanted poster and, slipping it into his pocket, trudged towards the sound of the screams.

It wasn't long before he saw explosions coming up ahead, through the trees. He narrowed his eyes, determining it would be a better idea to wait outside the village for a while until he could find a good time to strike. He didn't feel like getting blasted by magic the second he entered the village. He stopped and waited, watching the explosions of magic carefully as he waited for his opportunity to strike.

There was a sudden lull in the onslaught. Amidst the dust and smoke, the blurred form of a figure appeared. Gillick's amber eyes flared. Now was his chance. He lunged forward, jerking his sword out of his scabbard in the same instant. The figure was just turning around to face him as he brought his weapon forward in a powerful slash.

His blade was met with another with a loud clang. The impact resulted in small sparks and a wave of air that sent some of the dust and smoke around the two spiraling away. It was then that he saw the true form of the figure he was facing.

His eyes were suddenly narrowed in fury and disgust. "What are you doing here, Xuren?" he snarled, forcing himself backwards.

The dark Keyblader chuckled, his yellow eyes glittering in their strange way as he looked at the former Keyblader. "I could ask the same of you. You generally don't go out of your way to _help_ people. Isn't that what _Keybladers_ do?"

Gillick's eyes narrowed into a furious glare. "I don't like having my questions answered with questions," he snapped, "but I will correct you. I'm not here to help; I thought you were actually someone worth my time." No reason to tell the bastard exactly _who _he'd thought he was. "Since you're not, I see no reason to stay." He turned and began to leave, but didn't dare sheath his sword just yet. The moment he did, Xuren's Keyblade would be in his back.

"That's it? You're just running away from a fight?" Xuren's voice lilted with mocking. Gillick's grip on his sword tightened and he gritted his teeth. He _hated_ being called a coward. "Well, I guess it's to be expected, considering what you are." He continued to walk with stiff-legged control towards the boundaries of the village. "Well? Do you have anything to say, _armor-less_?"

What self-control he had shattered. With a cry of fury, he whipped around and swung his sword towards Xuren's head. The Keyblader managed to duck away just in time to avoid losing his head.

The other's Keyblade made contact with his midsection. "Such a temper," he taunted, eyes glittering with crazed delight.

"Shut up," Gillick snarled, already recovered from the blow and lunging in towards his opponent.

The two weapons met once more. Gillick pulled back slightly before launching into a string of fierce strikes, all focused with the intent of simply over-powering his opponent. Xuren raised his Keyblade to block the blows. He seemed confident he could ward off all of his opponent's blows.

Gillick was determined to show him just how wrong he was.

He lifted his sword above his head to land a powerful downward strike on his opponent's skull. Xuren quickly lifted his Keyblade to block this blow. Instead of bringing the weapon down straight, however, Gillick swung it in an arc out to the side, bringing it in so that it cut at the Keyblader's side.

Light flashed suddenly as Xuren's hand flew to the panel hidden beneath the shawl sprawled across his shoulders. A loud metallic clang resounded through the half-destroyed village as Gillick's sword hit armor instead of flesh. His face contorted into a mask of frustration, and he jumped back a few paces.

If a helmet hadn't been covering his head, Gillick knew he'd see a smirk on his opponent's face. "Helpful to have armor, isn't it?"

"Didn't I tell you to _shut up_?" Gillick spat back, holding back as he tried to decide where the best place to attack would be.

He heard a snort come from within the confines of the helmet. "Do you really think you have a chance at beating me? The last time we battled was when you still _used_ your Keyblade, and you lost."

"That was two years ago," Gillick growled. Gripping the hilt of his sword with both hands, he dashed forward, crying out, _"And I don't need a Keyblade to be strong!"_

Xuren was prepared to counter. However, Gillick had no intention of attacking with his sword just yet. Instead, he ducked low as the dark Keyblader's weapon whistled through the air. The other man stumbled, caught off guard when his Keyblade met with no resistance. Gillick quickly kicked out a foot, pulling the other's feet out from under him completely. As the man fell, he quickly began to roll away, slashing his sword upwards as he did, slamming it into the armor and leaving a dent. As his opponent went sprawling through the dirt, he rolled back to his feet, jumping up in an instant with his sword raised in both hands to bring it down forcefully.

He was met by a glancing blast of lightning. It seared his side, sending pain through him. His eyes widened, but he made no sound, instead trying to right himself as he was thrown off balance.

Xuren was pushing himself up from where he'd fallen. "Why don't you use magic to heal yourself?" he taunted. "Oh, right, you can't; that's a power of the Keyblade."

Gillick gritted his teeth against his anger, dashing forward once more. Xuren launched off a flurry of blizzard spells. He tried to duck away from them, managing a few but finding himself unable to do so for all. He ignored the new pain that ran through him and focused on finding an opening as Xuren continued to fire off spells. _He can't continue this forever. Eventually, the spells will have to recharge._ Unfortunately, they were beginning to take their toll on him as he dashed in a mad circle around his opponent.

Xuren's assault stopped suddenly. Gillick's eyes flared. _Now!_ And he lunged forward.

The dark Keyblader had obviously seen the attack coming, for he raised his weapon to parry the blows that were sent his way. However, what he obviously hadn't anticipated was how much stronger the former Keyblader had become over the last two years. He only managed to block a few blows before the black haired boy managed to launch a blow that forced his arm back, catching him off balance.

That was all the opening Gillick needed.

He struck quickly and fiercely, pounding at the other's armor. At first, his attacks did little more than dent the protective covering. Then they began to send pieces of it flying, revealing cloth and flesh beneath them. He could see blood beginning to well from the new wounds that were rapidly appearing across the dark Keyblader's now-unprotected skin.

Unfortunately, Xuren's magic seemed to be recharged. He swung his Keyblade upwards, the weapon coated in flames. Gillick grunted in pain as the weapon hit him, unbalancing him slightly. The brief lull in the onslaught was enough for Xuren to call up a ring of fire that forced Gillick back.

For a few moments, the two simply glared at each other, panting. "It seems…you've gotten stronger," Xuren growled.

"Obviously," Gillick responded, tensing as he steeled himself to go back into the fight.

"Well, let's see if you can hold up then, shall we? Wouldn't want to break my toy too early."

The comment sent Gillick's blood burning and caused his legs to send him flying forwards. Xuren lunged forward to meet him.

Their weapons met in a flurry of sparks. For a few moments, the two struggled against each other, trying to force past the other's defenses. When both proved unable to do so, they pulled their blades back, before each sent out their own flurry of strikes.

They exchanged blows, one weapon always meeting the other as it flew to strike. It was causing no small amount of frustration for either of the warriors.

Gillick was quickly growing annoyed with his lack of success at striking his opponent. So he decided to try something different.

He waited until Xuren's blade was coming at him. Then, instead of blocking, he simply took a few paces backwards. Xuren's Keyblade slashed the air just in front of him, the slash resulting in nothing more than a blast of air. Then Gillick lashed out his sword, once more aiming for his opponent's head.

Xuren ducked away, but was not quite able to avoid to blow completely. The sword hit the man's helmet with such force that it flew off. It bounced through the dirt, with its owner falling to his knees. The attack may not have dealt the final blow, but it had certainly stunned him.

Now it was time to finish.

Gillick raised his sword once more, intending the decapitate the man who kneeled before him. "No," Xuren growled. Though still seemingly disoriented, he managed to swing out his Keyblade. If it had just been the weapon, Gillick could have easily stopped the blow.

However, what flew from the Keyblade were razors of darkness. He had no way to counter these attacks, and was forced to endure them as they battered his skin, causing blood - his own blood - to fly from the places they struck. A cry of pain finally tore itself from his lips.

When the assault stopped, he found that his legs were shaking. He jabbed his sword into the ground, using it to try and keep himself upright. Before him, Xuren was beginning to pull himself away. Going to hide somewhere and lick his wounds, no doubt. Gillick didn't have the energy to stop him.

Trying to remain upright proved to be a vain effort. His legs gave out beneath him. His hands slipped from his sword. And as he fell towards the ground, he also fell into darkness…and the memory it brought with it.

"_**That **__wasn't very nice."_

_The eyes of the senior Keyblader turned towards the young form of Gillick. "What?"_

"_I said that wasn't nice," Gillick replied, wondering if the man was hard of hearing. "You aren't supposed to ask for stuff for saving people."_

"_And why not?" the man asked. "We save them, so they should show their thanks."_

"_But that's not what a Keyblader does," Gillick argued, his hands balling into fists._

"_Listen to this kid!" the older Keyblader snorted. "Who do you think you are, telling a senior Keyblader how to act?"_

"_Who do you think _you_ are," Gillick retorted, "being a bully?"_

_The man's face contorted with fury. "That's it!" he snarled, summoning his Keyblade and bringing it down towards the boy. Gillick raised his arms, but refused to move his ground._

_A bright flash of light suddenly burst around them. Gillick stumbled and fell as the man's Keyblade made impact, but there was a loud clang instead of extreme pain. He felt a new weight in his right hand as the older Keyblader gasped, "Impossible!"_

_Gillick slowly opened his eyes. The blue orbs flared wide almost immediately. Clutched in his hand was a Keyblade. The weapon was white, its guard made to look like angel wings. The teeth had a strange, archaic design to them. The shaft was composed of three lines of metal. The Keychain looked like a dragon that was curled up into a tight ball._

_The older Keyblader's mouth was opening and closing rapidly in shock. "But…how did…?"_

"_What did you think you were doing, attacking my apprentice?" a voice suddenly said from somewhere behind Gillick._

_The other man paled. "M-Master Tollun!" he stammered._

_Gillick looked up at the face of his master. The man jerked his head to the side, silver eyes narrowed in anger as he stared at the Keyblader. "Leave." He was quick to obey._

_As Tollun turned his gaze to his apprentice, however, the hard look in his eyes softened. "You've gotten you're Keyblade." Gillick nodded, stunned into silence. Tollun knelt down next to him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "That means you're ready for your armor, Gillick. You're ready to join the fight."_

_The words jolted the boy out of his excited surprise. "Fight? But…I'm too young…"_

_He thought he saw a flicker of annoyance in his master's eyes. However, it was gone so quickly that he wondered if he'd imagined it. "Summoning your Keyblade for the first time is a sign that someone is ready to become a full fledged Keyblader. I did when I got mine." Unable to argue against that, Gillick simply nodded meekly. "Now, Gillick, the armor you will get is very important. It signifies your status as a true Keyblader. If a Keyblader ever does something bad enough, they will be stripped of it, since their Keyblade cannot be taken away. It is the greatest disgrace of all." He forced his young apprentice's eyes to meet his. "Gillick, never become one of the armor-less."_

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><p><em>And there's the end of chapter seven. Review, please?<em>


	8. Moogles

_So, here's chapter eight. Thank you Burai Stelar, DaniPotterLovesGod, Eddie Camp, Silverking32, caitlinkeitorin, and Graphicsnerd for reviewing last chapter!_

_On a somewhat unrelated note, I'm beginning the project of turning _Guardian Twin _into a manga-type-thing on deviantart, if anyone's interested in reading that._

**Chapter Eight: Moogles**

"What is he?"

"One of those 'humans', I think, kupo."

"Is he alright?"

"What happened to him?"

The flurry of words came from small, fairy-like creatures with pom-poms bobbing around on their heads. They were staring at the unconscious form of Gillick, who, at this point, was the only human in the town. Any other survivors of Xuren's attack had fled further into the woods.

"We can't leave him here, kupo," one of the creatures said, looking at his companions for support.

"But how would we carry him, kupo?" another asked.

"Work together."

Not all were convinced. "But…take a human, kupo? Back to the village?"

"He might die if we don't, kupo," the one who had spoken first reasoned.

"But…" the protests slowly died, though none seemed comfortable about taking Gillick with them. Slowly, hesitantly, the various creatures that surrounded the unconscious former Keyblader walked towards him and, working together, began to drag him out of the ruins of the town.

"**Do **you see anything yet?"

Mala suppressed a sigh. "No, not yet," she replied.

Riun had woken up a while ago, and had insisted on walking by himself so he could help look for the 'hero' named Gillick. Mala had decided against telling him that she had no intention of looking for the other teenager and was instead trying to find a way to drive Riun away from searching for him.

So far, it hadn't worked. Riun sighed. "I hope we find him soon. Then he can start training me."

_He won't, though._ She bit back the words, instead focusing on the sunlight that was shining through the trees up ahead.

"Hey, look at that!"

She was jerked out of her thoughts by Riun's voice. She swung her head around, and saw that he was pointing to something not far off. She blinked in surprise when she saw odd, fairy-like creatures struggling with something through the grass. "What are those things?" she asked, curious despite herself.

"Maybe they know where Gillick is." Walking quickly towards the creatures, Riun called out, "Hey!"

"Riun, wait!" she cried in alarm, heading after him. They didn't know if those creatures were friendly, and she didn't want to antagonize them.

The heads of all the creatures shot up, the pom-poms on their heads bobbing. "Kupo! Run!" Immediately, all the creatures dropped what they were carrying and scattered in various directions.

Mala stopped, blinking in surprise at their sudden departure. "Ok…" Maybe they weren't dangerous, after all.

Riun, who'd reached what the creatures had left behind, stood frozen over it. "M-Mala, come here," he whimpered.

"Something wrong?" she asked as she headed towards him. Almost immediately, though, she realized the reason he looked so pale.

He was standing over the prone form of Gillick.

For a few moments, she thought the boy was dead. Then she saw the faint rise and fall of his chest. However, she didn't fail to notice the dried blood and the gaping wounds across his body. She twisted her mouth into a frown. He wasn't in good shape.

"Where's his sword?" Riun asked, pointing at the empty sheath that was still - miraculously - strapped across his back.

"Probably fell out of his hand when he passed out," Mala replied.

The boy looked in the direction the small fairy creatures had been dragging him from. "I'm going to go find it for him."

"Riun, wait," Male called, trying to stop him before he ran off and got himself into trouble. She was stopped, however, when one of the fairy-creatures slammed into her from behind.

She whipped around in surprise. "What was that for?" she cried in alarm.

The small creature looked up at her, floating on its tiny wings. "Don't mess with us, kupo. I'll lay you out!"

She immediately pulled her bow off her back and got an arrow ready. The creature seemed daunted by this weaponry, and backed off. In turned, she lowered her arrow. "I don't want to hurt you," she said quietly.

Immediately, the other fairy-creatures came out of hiding. "Don't antagonize her, kupo!"

"See? She won't hurt you if you leave her be, kupo!"

She watched the exchange curiously, then slipped her arrow back into her quiver and returned the bow to her back. Then she looked back to Gillick. When he'd fought those goonies off…he'd seemed so strong. Now, even though she didn't really like him much, she found herself feeling…pity for him. "How'd this happen?" she asked quietly, unable to keep from wondering if it was the doing of the Knight.

The fairy-creatures obviously heard her. One flew forward, replying, "We don't know, kupo. We found him lying in a destroyed village, kupo."

"So…you were going to heal him?" Mala asked quietly, thinking what they'd said sounded _a lot _like the Knight.

The fairy-creature nodded. "It's the right thing to do, kupo."

She nodded slowly. "Right." Slowly, she reached down, and maneuvered Gillick's limp body so that most of his weight was thrown across her back. "I'll help you get him to where you were taking him."

"Thank you, kupo."

"Oh," she added as an afterthought, "can one of you guys go find a young boy named Riun and lead him back here? He went to look for this guy's sword."

"Sure, kupo." One of them flew off back in the direction it had come from.

As the group began walking, Mala asked, "Um, what are you guys, anyways?"

"We are Moogles."

_**Where **__are those voices coming from?_

Those were Gillick's first thoughts as he first returned to consciousness. Slowly, he blinked open amber eyes. Strange creatures with pom-poms on their heads filled his vision. "What the hell?" he cried in alarm, shooting upwards. He immediately wished he didn't when he felt burning from various points on his body. He bit back a groan of pain and remained upright.

The creatures, who had jerked back in surprise when he'd suddenly sprang up, now floated in closer to him. "We're Moogles, kupo," one informed him, obviously sensing the question was coming. "We found you injured, kupo, and brought you back to our village."

He absently touched the bandages that stretched across his torso. The wounds beneath weren't healed, but the small creatures had obviously made an effort to help him. He gave them curious glances. "Why did you help me?"

"Why not, kupo?"

He didn't have a response for that. He snorted, after a few moments answering instead, "It must've been hard getting me here."

"Actually, we had help, kupo."

In the doorway appeared the form of Mala. His eyes widened in surprise. "What are _you _doing here?"

"I was lending a hand," she replied, tossing his shirt and scabbard to him.

"I thought you didn't like me," he responded, his eyes glittering with curiosity.

"I don't," she retorted.

Before Gillick could get out another comment, Riun rushed in. "I have your sword!" He extended said object forward, holding it flat on both palms.

He grabbed the hilt of the object, lifting it up off the palms of the boy's hands. He looked at it, finding, as usual, that there were no mars on it in any way. Then his amber eyes flashed to the boy who'd returned it. "You went to find this?"

Riun nodded vigorously. "Yeah! A hero needs his sword."

Gillick snorted, sliding the weapon back into its scabbard. "Didn't I already tell you I'm not a hero?"

"At least he admits it," Mala muttered.

Riun seemed to be ignoring both of those comments. "It's really cool. Where'd you get it?"

"If I tell you will you go away?"

Riun thought about this for a few moments, then said, "Ok."

"It was a gift." With that, he lay back down and turned so that his back faced the others.

"From who?"

His eye twitched at the sound of Riun's voice. "Didn't you say you'd leave?"

"Oh. Right." He heard the sound of footsteps and wings as the others left the room.

Well, almost all the others. Gillick sighed, feeling Mala still hovering nearby. "Yes?" he asked without turning around.

"You could've said 'thank you'," she growled.

He knew he'd forgotten something. "I could've," he agreed slowly.

She waited a few moments longer, obviously expecting a continuation of that statement. When there wasn't one, she turned and began to head out.

He gave a silent, reluctant sigh. "Hey," he called, glancing over his shoulder. She paused in the doorway, glancing back at him. She annoyed him, but she had helped save his life, so…"Thanks." She was obviously surprised by the fact that he'd thanked her. He snorted, turning his head so that it faced away from her once more. With nothing else to do, he allowed himself to drift into an uneasy sleep.

That night, it seemed, the past would leave him be.

**Xuren **was fuming when he emerged from the Corridor of Darkness. Pain burned from the new wounds he'd accumulated, but nothing burned more than the blow his pride had taken. He gritted his teeth. _When did that bastard get so strong?_ he wondered, furious.

He limped into the room where he knew the leader of the Dark Army would still be. His leader looked up in surprise when he entered. "What happened? The Knight?" he asked, standing.

Xuren shook his head, his resentment of the former Keyblader still burning through his veins. "Gillick," he growled.

"What?"

He heard his own fury reflected in the voice of his leader. He looked up at the dark Keyblader that stood before him. "When I'm healed, I'll go after him. I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget."

"No."

He was surprised by his leader's words. "What?" he hissed, yellow eyes glittering with rage and dismay.

"We _will_ get back at him for interrupting our revenge," the dark Keyblader informed him, "but you aren't going to do it."

"And what about _my _revenge?" Xuren hissed furiously.

"Those are my orders, Xuren!" the other man snapped. Red eyes suddenly gleamed out from under his long bangs. "Do you dare to question them?"

Slowly, Xuren lowered his head in submission. "No."

"Then you will show the other Keybladers where you struck. They will track Gillick from there." The other Keyblader gave a slow, reluctant nod, then turned and limped out of the room.

The leader of the Dark Army watched him go. Slowly, the bangs fell back over the red of his eyes. It was hard to believe that the one who was now causing him problems had once been his second in command.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter eight. Yes, more action next chapter. Review, please?<em>


	9. Battle at the Village

_So, this is chapter nine. Thank you Silverking32, caitlinkeitorin, and UmmeiNinja for reviewing last chapter._

**Chapter Nine: Battle at the Village**

Xuren was more than angry.

He was _pissed._

He wasn't allowed to go on the mission to get revenge on Gillick because, apparently, his injuries were 'too much' for him to deal with right away. Not only that, he couldn't even manage to sneak onto the team, since the leader of the Dark Army himself had chosen to lead the mission. And that, then, begged the reason _why._

He, of course, knew of who and what Gillick had once been. Both Keyblade Armies had reason to hold grievances against the former Keyblade warrior. But he knew the leader of the Dark Army wouldn't go to fight Gillick unless there was some bigger reason.

"Is this the place?"

At his leader's voice, his pondering stopped and his frustration returned. "Yes," he snapped.

His leader was obviously willing to ignore said anger. "Thank you, Xuren. You may go back now."

It wasn't a request.

Muttering under his breath, Xuren turned and opened a Corridor of Darkness. Before he stepped through, he allowed himself one last glance at the small, departing party. They examined the wreckage of the town for a few moments before apparently finding something that led them off into the woods. He snorted. _It won't be long now._ With that, he finally stepped foot through the Corridor of Darkness.

**Mala**, though grateful to the Moogles, couldn't help her old habits. After all, she had been raised as a thief; the lessons learned in her time on the streets were hard, if not impossible, for her to unlearn. And she couldn't help putting them into practice. Lesson one: don't pass up an opportunity to steal what you need.

She pocketed some of the herbs the Moogles had used as medicine.

Lesson number two: be observant. She quickly noticed that the Moogles didn't seem very trusting of humans, and preferred their forest habitat. They also had big birds that the raised, which they called Chocobos. Gillick hated Chocobos. He hated being stuck in bed, too, for that matter.

Lesson number three: don't trust anyone right off the bat. The Moogles, though kind to her, Riun, and even Gillick, still put her on edge. She kept an eye on them without telling them to much.

Lesson number four: better to be a living coward than a dead hero.

She hadn't had to put that one into practice yet. Which was good, because it was the only one that sometimes bothered her conscience later.

Mala sighed, absently touching the quiver of arrows strung across her back. There wasn't much to do here…well, aside from listen to Gillick. And the only time he really talked to her or Riun was when he was angry.

"Damn it, I'm _fine_!"

Like now, for instance.

"You're not fully healed, kupo," one of the Moogles trying to put more bandages on him argued.

"Yeah, well, I have other things to worry about," he growled, amber eyes glittering with frustration. "So leave me be."

"No, kupo."

Mala snorted, amused as she watched the interaction. Gillick obviously heard her, and sent a glare her way. She just allowed herself a broad smile, causing the boy even more frustration.

"M-Mala?"

She turned her head in surprise at Riun's voice. "Yeah, Riun?" she asked, looking out of the small shack at where the boy was standing.

He pointed off into the bushes. "I heard something."

"Maybe it was a forest animal," she suggested. Still, she knew better than to just leave something unchecked. She exited the shack, heading over in the general direction Riun had pointed. She looked around the bushes, feeling cautiousness edge into her. She could see nothing in the shadows. She shrugged, glancing back at Riun. "There's nothing her-"

She cut herself off as she saw a faint movement stir the bushes. Acting on instinct, she removed an arrow from her quiver and strung her bow, shooting the projectile. It lodged in something, and she heard a cry of pain.

Then the village was being swarmed by people with Keyblades.

Shock and alarm ran through Mala. _Keybladers?_ She grappled with this thought, unable to comprehend it, until she realized what army they belonged to. _The Dark Army._ And everyone knew the Dark Army was evil.

She lifted her bow, beginning to shoot arrows at the oncoming dark Keybladers. The Dark Army warriors, obviously believing they hadn't needed it, had left their armor off. As a result, they ended up having arrows sticking out of them. Unfortunately, though, the young thief only had a limited supply of arrows. And when they ran out, she knew she had no chance against the Keyblade warriors.

So, she obeyed the fourth lesson all thieves must know, and ran.

**Gillick's** head whipped around as a commotion started outside. "What's happening?" he growled, jerking to his feet. He felt pain lance through him, but tried to ignore it.

The Moogles looked at each other, worried. "I don't know, kupo," one replied.

That wasn't good enough for him. He quickly ripped the bandages off his body, putting his shirt, shoulder plates, and sheathed sword back on. Then, ignoring the protests of the Moogles, he pushed his way out of the shack.

That's when he saw the Dark Army attacking. _What the hell?_ Why were the idiots attacking a village of these…_Moogles_? He saw something dash away out of the corner of his eye, and, turning his head, he realized it was Mala. He snorted. _Coward,_ he sneered silently. He reached up and jerked his blade out of its scabbard. _Unlike you, I'm not afraid._

He launched himself into the fight, sword cutting through the air in precise arcs. A Keyblader turned around to see his swinging sword. He just had time for his eyes to widen before the weapon decapitated him. He jumped over the dead Keyblader's body and managed to catch another one by surprise, running his sword through his chest, before pulling it out with a sickening sucking sound. Blood gurgled from the wound as the woman fell over, lifeless.

By that time, the other Keybladers were aware of his presence. Without the element of surprise, he doubted he'd be killing many more Keybladers. That was fine with him, though. What he didn't understand was why the Keybladers were _here_, or why they were attacking a village that wasn't aligned to either army.

Then he thought of Xuren, and cursed under his breath as he raised his sword to block the strike of a Keyblade. _Were they really that mad about me beating Xuren?_ The thought seemed stupid to him, but it was the only reason he could think of. He gritted his teeth, quickly pulling away from the other warrior's blade and ducking low, slashing at his opponent's legs. The man cried out as the weapon cut through cloth and flesh, spraying blood.

Gillick jerked forward as something hit him hard across his back. He staggered, whipping around as quickly as he could. He was just in time to block the blow of the Keyblader. His eyes widened when he saw who it was. "Hello, Gillick."

"Viril," Gillick hissed at the leader of the Dark Army. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Reminding you of your place," he hissed. Two small specks of red gleamed out from beneath his bangs. "I can't have you interfering with the Dark Army's affairs and Keybladers any more."

His amber eyes flared dangerously. "Back off," he snarled, lunging forward. The force of the lunge, with their Keyblades still pressed against each other, forced Viril to stagger backwards. The Keyblader recovered quickly, but didn't launch a counter attack, instead watching carefully.

Gillick lunged forward, feinting to both the left and right before returning his attack to the left. Viril lifted his Keyblade to block the blow, the movement looking as if it were meant to unbalance his opponent. So, instead of finishing the strike, Gillick slipped around behind the leader of the Dark Army, lashing out quickly with his blade. Viril tried to move away, but wasn't quick enough to avoid the blow completely.

However, Viril was able to recover quickly. He flipped on one hand, spinning around in midair and firing a burst of dark fire at the former Keyblader. Gillick lifted his sword quickly, the metal of the blade deflecting the magic.

"H-help!"

Gillick's head jerked around at the sound of Riun's voice. The boy was being corner by several Keybladers. He considered letting the boy just deal with them himself; after all, he had his own fight to deal with. However, looking at the boy, he couldn't help but be reminded of a similar event that had happened with Trevor…

_**Gillick **__couldn't believe it; Master Tollun was taking him back to his home town. Well, he supposed it wasn't just him; a few other Keybladers and their apprentices were coming along, too. It was the first time he'd been allowed to do something besides training with his mentor, though the event was just a routine checkup._

"_Master Tollun?" he asked hesitantly as they entered the town._

_Tollun glanced down at his nine-year-old apprentice. "Yes, Gillick?_

"_Would it…would it be alright if I went to see my family?"_

"_Yes, this is your home town, isn't it?" Tollun asked rhetorically. Gillick just continued to look hopefully up at his master. Slowly, Tollun nodded. "Yes. You may visit them."_

_Gillick nodded his appreciation, a small smile slipping onto his face. "Thank you, Master." He walked off in the direction of his house, his body held tightly under control. It wasn't until he could no longer see the Keybladers that he broke into a run._

_He burst through the door of his house without even bothering to knock. "Mom! Dad! Trevor!" he called._

"_Gillick?" That was his mother. In the doorway appeared two figures. His parents, joy in their eyes, came to great him. "Look how much you've grown, Gil," his mother crooned._

"_Mom!" he complained, trying to pull away from her._

"_It's good to see you again," his father added, bending down and tussling his hair._

_Gillick smiled, despite the baby-ish treatment. Then, his blue eyes scanning the room, he asked, "Where's Trevor?"_

"_He went to play with some friends," his mother replied._

"_Oh…" he trailed off, then added, "Can I go find him?"_

"_Of course," his father replied. Gillick smiled and gave a nod of gratitude, then whipped around and headed quickly out the door in search of his younger sibling._

_As he traveled through the town, the sun began to set and night began to fall. He frowned, searching for his younger brother. "Trevor!" he called, eyes scanning the streets for his younger brother._

"_G-Gil!" a shaky voice called. Not long after, there was an explosion nearby._

_Panic fluttered in Gillick's chest. "Trevor!" He slammed the button that would release his armor and, summoning his Keyblade, ran in the direction of his younger sibling's scream._

_He found him, huddled low behind a crate. "Trevor, you Ok?" he gasped as he saw him._

"_Gil?" Trevor asked, shaking with tears running down his face._

_Gillick bent down close to his younger brother. "What happened?"_

"_I-I don't know," Trevor whimpered. "Something attacked me, but I couldn't see what it was, and-and…" _

_As Trevor huddled up into a fetal position, his face hidden in his arms, Gillick heard something behind him. Slowly, he turned. That was the first time he'd see the monster that would come to be known as the Knight, though he had no knowledge of the fact that that was the creature he was looking at. Fear pulsed through him as he looked at the stocky figure that was stalking towards him, black wings stretching from its back. _

_Then he saw a shape, just beyond the armored figure. "Master Tollun!" he cried in relief. He expected his master to come to their aid. However, Tollun made no move to help his young apprentice or his sibling. _What's he doing? _Gillick wondered, eyes widening behind his helmet._

_The Knight was coming closer. Tollun still hadn't lifted a finger to help. Gillick, not knowing what else to do, threw his body over his brother's. The monster lifted a hand to strike._

_Suddenly, Tollun was there, warding off the figure. "You will not hurt these children!" he roared, his voice echoing loudly through the night, drawing the attention of several other people. Gillick lifted his head in surprise. His master had finally come to his aid. But why had he waited?_

_An inhuman snarl come from within the helmet. The Knight shot a blast of fire at the Keyblader. Tollun quickly lifted his Keyblade to block it. However, this action allowed the creature to lunge for him. It grabbed the light Keyblader, crushing armor with inhuman strength. Tollun gasped with pain._

_Despite the fact that his master hadn't come to _his_ aid right away, Gillick did not intend to do the same. He lifted his Keyblade and hit it off the monster. "Stop!"_

_His attack hadn't even made a dent in the armor that covered the monster. However, it was enough to draw its attention. Strange points of light - he'd later guess they were eyes - flashed behind the tinted glass. Gillick shook, stumbling backwards, his courage deserting him. The monster dropped his master in a heap on the ground. It stalked towards him. He was trying very hard not to whimper in fear._

_He glanced behind the monster at his master. The man was shaking, but seemed almost…relieved. Wait, relieved?_

_The creature reared back, away from him. He expected it to land a final blow. Instead, it spread its pitch black wings and sprang into the sky._

_By now, people were beginning to gather around the sight. They either crooned over him about his courage or nodded simple approval. While they were preoccupied with the student, they didn't notice the master. _

_But Gillick did. Tollun was staring at him, resentment flaring in blue eyes that could be seen through the broken glass of his helmet. The leader of the Light Army dismissed his armor, then walked over to Trevor, who was slowly uncurling from his fetal position. He bent down and extended his Keyblade towards the boy, asking, "Tell me, would you like to train beside your brother?"_

_Trevor, tears still caught in the corners of his eyes, gave a slow nod. "S-sure."_

_Most watching would assume that Tollun had simply acted out of kindness. Gillick, however, had seen his eyes. He wasn't acting because he cared, but was trying to spite the student who had shown him up._

**Gillick **couldn't help but compare Riun to his younger brother. It was for that reason that, instead of continuing to fight Viril, he ran to help the boy.

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><p><em>And there's the end of chapter nine. Please review?<em>


	10. Protect

_This is chapter ten. Thank you DaniPotterLovesGod, Silverking32, Eddie Camp, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter._

**Chapter Ten: Protect**

Gillick's sword met the Keyblade of a Dark Army warrior in a flurry of sparks. The Keyblader's eyes widened in surprise. Gillick gritted his teeth, eyes narrowed, and pushed against the Keyblade. He swiped his sword quickly to the side, forcing the Keyblader back. "Stay back!" he growled.

"Gillick!" Riun exclaimed.

The black-haired warrior glanced behind him. For a moment, the image of Riun changed to an image of Trevor. He shook away the image. "Just stay behind me, kid," he hissed, turning his head back to his opponents.

The fact that he'd jumped in to protect Riun must have surprised them, because they weren't attacking yet. One narrowed his eyes at him. "And here I thought you didn't give a shit if some little kid died."

His amber eyes flared, and he spat back, "Yeah? Well, you thought wrong."

Another snickered. "What's the matter, Gillick?" she sneered. "Growing soft?"

He held his sword with both hands, pointing it towards them. "Attack and you'll see just how 'soft' I am."

"Oh, that sounds like a challenge," one crooned.

"I'll accept it!" With that, one of the Keybladers launched himself forward.

Gillick wasted no time. He ducked just enough to avoid getting hit with a Keyblade, and swung his sword so that its flat hit the man with enough force to send him flying.

It was the catalyst; in a moment, more Keybladers were upon him.

Normally, he'd fall into the familiar rhythm of battle. However, he'd committed himself to protecting Riun; if he moved now, the kid would be killed. _This is why I don't usually protect people, _he thought with a snort. Still, he wasn't about to run away now.

His sword was a blur through the air, ruins flashing as he parried attacks and tried to land some of his own. He whipped around rapidly, trying to combat opponents on all sides. Eventually, he ended up using more than just his sword to fight. He'd block one blow with the blade, then kick out a foot, forcing a Keyblader back. He spun around, sword stretching out to cut at the incoming Keybladers. He jammed his knee upwards, driving it up beneath one's ribcage and forcing the air out of him. While he was winded he pushed him back with his foot, lashing his left arm out at the same time to slam it into a Keybladers neck, momentarily stopping her breath.

Unable to move very far and outnumbered, however, he was at a disadvantage. He edged backwards, closer towards Riun. "You can get them, Gillick!" Riun cheered.

He snorted. "Don't really need a cheerleader," he growled, "but…thanks, I guess."

His sword continued to fly through the air. He spun it around in his hand, forming a sort of temporary shield with its blur of a blade. Then he flipped it around and used it to impale one of the Keybladers. He braced his foot against her limp body, using it to help him pull the sword out of it and kick it away before swinging the weapon back around and blocking a Keyblade strike.

His luck at avoiding getting hit, however, wouldn't last. While warding off one weapon, he felt the sting of another on his back. Gritting his teeth, he sent the one before him stumbling backwards while kicking out at the one behind him. However, another took advantage of this, knocking him on the back and causing him to stumble forward. He caught himself before he could fall, but was unable to defend himself when another strike landed. He gritted his teeth, raising one hand and grabbing a Keyblade that was coming towards him while lashing his sword out in the opposite direction to block another Keyblade. However, since he was distracted by the two other Keybladers, he was unable to defend himself from a Blizzard spell that hit him in the center of his chest.

The spell was what finally did it. All across his chest, he felt a terrible, burning pain. He gasped, nearly falling to his knees as his eyes grew wide. The wounds from his battle against Xuren had been aggravated; he could see a few traces of blood beginning to appear on his chest.

The Keybladers weren't about to stop because he was injured. In fact, they seemed more than happy to pound at him, mercilessly attacking him with their weapons. He hardly had the chance to fight back. He fell to one knee, breathing hard and trying his best to resist the assault.

"Enough."

The command surprised him. The Keybladers slowly back off, standing in a ragged circle around him and Riun. Viril stepped through one of the gaps in their ranks, his eyes, as usual, concealed. Gillick glared up at him with as much anger as he could muster. The dark Keyblader smirked down at him. "So, your little battle with Xuren left you injured, too?" came the rhetorical question.

Gillick gritted his teeth. "Get the hell out of here, Viril," he growled, clutching at his side with his free hand.

"Or what?" the leader of the Dark Army retorted.

"I'll make you." His words were instantly contradicted when he tried to stand and ended up once more on one knee.

"You're in no condition to do anything of the sort." Gillick's eyes shifted upwards in a furious glare at Viril. "Don't worry; I'll leave, right after I take care of you."

"Don't!"

Both heads turned in surprise at Riun's voice. The nine-year-old rushed forward, standing in front of Gillick with his arms stretched out. Viril snorted in surprise. "What's this?"

"What are you doing?" Gillick growled.

Riun didn't move. "Please don't kill him. He's going to teach me how to be a hero!"

Gillick's eyes widened. That was the wrong thing to say to a man who would kill without hesitating. He looked at Viril, and saw his smirk had curved downwards into a frown. "Really?" he hissed. "I wouldn't be too sure." Then he lifted his Keyblade, the weapon glowing with a dark aura.

Gillick knew immediately what he was doing. He didn't think; he simply acted. He threw his body over Riun's, using it as a shield. He was just quick enough, as the dark magic hit him almost immediately afterwards. He felt more pain lance through him, and he let out a strangled gasp, collapsing in on himself.

Viril seemed as surprised by this action as he was. "You protected him? That's out of character for you." There was a pause, but Gillick knew what the dark man was thinking of during the empty space. "At one time, though, perhaps it would not have been."

"Take your Keybladers and get out of here," he managed to spit out.

"Why, when I can just as easily finish you off now?"

"Wait!" Riun slipped out from under the protection of Gillick's body. "I'm for the Dark Army!"

Gillick closed his eyes tightly. At least Viril would care _a little_ about that. He managed to lift his head, and saw that the leader of the Dark Army had turned his own head to look at the boy. "Really? Then why do you protect him?" He jerked his head in Gillick's direction. Amber eyes narrowed into a furious glare, but he didn't respond aloud.

"Because he's a hero!" Riun exclaimed, causing Gillick to snort in frustration. "He saved my mom and I when the Light Army attacked."

"Really?" Viril sounded skeptical.

Riun nodded, then glanced back at him. "Your for the Dark Army too, right?"

"I am for no army," Gillick responded, eyes blazing with fury at the thought of aligning himself with one of _them_ again.

"What?" Riun exclaimed, obviously surprised.

Viril snorted. "He is our enemy, young one," he insisted. "Do you know what he is?"

"He's a hero," Riun murmured, though he sounded a little more uncertain.

Viril snorted. "No. He's something else. He's-"

What he was about to say was cut short as a Moogle suddenly launched itself at his face. "Get out of our village, kupo!" the little creature ordered.

Red eyes glowed behind the man's long bangs. "What the hell?"

The little Moogle was floating around him. "I'll take care of him, kupo! Look at him, he's terrified!"

_He's insane,_ Gillick thought, slapping one palm to his forehead. Still, he couldn't help but feel some gratitude for the small creature for intervening. He didn't really want anyone knowing that he'd once been a Keyblader.

A noise erupted behind them. He glanced backwards, and saw several Chocobos, Moogles sitting on their backs, come dashing out of the depths of the village. The Dark Army Keybladers scattered, trying to stay out of range of the giant birds. "Climb on, kupo!"

"Ride one of _them_?" Gillick hissed. He wasn't very found of Chocobos.

"We can't stay here, kupo, and you're still injured."

The Moogle had a point. Riun was already climbing on one. Gillick grabbed the Moogle who was still annoying Viril. "Come on, idiot," he growled, pulling the protesting Moogle away as he climbed onto one of the giant birds with a grimace. The Moogles urged the Chocobos forward, and they dashed out of the village, away into the depths of the forest.

**Night **has fallen by the time the group stopped. Gillick slipped - well, fell - off the Chocobo he'd been riding, landing on his side with a grimace and a thud. The Moogles got off their own Chocobos, with Riun jumping off, too.

Slowly, Gillick pushed himself into a sitting position. "I'm sorry, but we don't have anything to treat your wounds with right now, kupo," one of the Moogles apologized.

"Didn't I already tell you I was fine?" Gillick growled in response.

Riun was frowning, looking perplexed. "Why did the Dark Army attack the Moogles? They're nice." Gillick opened his mouth to answer, but Riun interrupted with an interpretation of his own. "They must be aligned with the Light Army! That's why. If they knew the Moogles were actually really nice, they would've never attacked!"

"That's-" Gillick stopped himself short when he saw the look on Riun's face. He gave a relenting sigh. "Maybe that's right," he growled, though he knew it wasn't.

Riun smiled with a nod. "Yeah! And maybe that's why they don't like you! Because you fought to protect them."

"Don't think so," Gillick growled, unable to help himself.

"But you're a hero."

His patience snapped. "Quit calling me that!" he snarled, whipping his head around. "I told you already, I'm _not a hero_!"

Riun blinked, taking a step back in surprise. "But…you protected me," he murmured, much quieter now.

Gillick calmed down a bit, turning his head away from the boy. "That doesn't make me a hero." He didn't turn his head to watch the boy go and huddle up under one of the trees.

"Well, I think I'd agree with you on that one, kupo."

Gillick's eyes shifted at the sound of a Moogle's voice. He snorted, eyes shifting away. "Don't know why he doesn't." There were a few moments of silence before Gillick turned his head and said, "I don't always remember to say it, but I am grateful for you helping me."

The Moogle seemed surprised by his words. "You don't really seem like someone who says 'thank you' often, kupo."

He snorted. "I'm not above offering thanks when someone, on some odd whim, does something nice for me. My mom ingrained that into me."

The Moogle looked at him curiously. "Well, your welcome, then, kupo. And don't worry, kupo; the rest of us will always be willing to help other wielders of the Keyblade who aren't quite so bad." Gillick's eyes widened in surprise and he whipped his head around to look at the small creature. The Moogle laughed. "I'm pretty perceptive, kupo."

Gillick snorted, standing with a wince. "I'm not a Keyblader. Not anymore."

He only staggered a little ways before he found himself leaning heavily against a tree. He sighed, looking up at the moon. As he did, he wondered at his actions earlier, in the village. He knew why he'd protected Riun at first, but when he'd thrown himself over the boy to protect him from Viril…he hadn't been thinking of his brother. And why hadn't he just told him the truth about the Dark Army? His mind, muddled with confusion, couldn't comprehend his actions. He could find no reason for doing the things he had done.

Unbeknownst to him, the Moogle who'd spoken to him before was still watching him. And, as that Moogle had said, he _was_ very perceptive. "I know why you did those things, kupo," he whispered. "Your heart spoke, and you listened to it. But I don't know why you don't do it more often, kupo. If you did, then maybe you really would be a hero."

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><p><em>Well, what do you know? Gillick really does have a heart. Haha, review, please?<em>


	11. Different Paths

_This is chapter eleven. Thank you Eddie Camp, caitlinkeitorin, Silverking32, and UmmeiNinja for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Eleven: Different Paths**

Mala didn't know how long she'd run when she finally slowed down to a stop. She slipped underneath a rocky overhang, pulling her quiver off of her back and pressing up against the rock instinctively. She tried to steady her breathing, listening intently for the sounds of pursuit. When she heard nothing, she began to relax.

As her pounding heart slowed, however, she began to feel the familiar surge of guilt. She slipped down, her quiver falling beside her. She'd down it again; ran away when she'd been needed. She leaned her head backwards, looking up into the sky as she tried to control the feelings of guilt. As a thief, she'd learned at a young age that it was better to be a living coward than a dead hero. But she could never completely get rid of the feelings of guilt.

She lowered her head. A heavy sigh escaped her. Not for the first time, she wished she were a Keyblader instead of an orphaned thief. Keybladers were noble, respected, and were the protectors of the world. Keyblades could only be passed down to those with strong hearts. If she had met a Keyblader when she was younger, she wondered, would she have been passed the power? Or wasn't her heart strong enough? She didn't know.

Then she shook herself. Those thoughts were getting her nowhere. It wasn't like it was entirely bad being a thief, after all. What she didn't like was the stigma that came with it.

"Well, this isn't getting me anywhere," she muttered. She pushed herself to her feet, picking up her quiver of arrows and bow, slinging them over her shoulder. She looked back the way she'd come from, eyes shadowed. She figured…she wouldn't be wanted that way. So she turned her gaze to the path before her, and struck out to find a town before nightfall.

**The **sun was painting the sky in the vivid colors of twilight when Mala finally found a small town. She exhaled a sigh of relief. _This area seems to be pretty unpopulated, _she thought as she walked into the town. However, she couldn't help but admire the town's scenic setting. Like the Moogle's village, it was set in a forest glade, with trees pressing in on all sides and streams cutting paths through the soil and the town itself. However, unlike the Moogle's village, this place was populated with humans, some of who welcome her with friendly nods. However, most of them had their attention focused on something further in, their voices raised in an excited babble.

"Isn't it exciting?"

"They hardly ever come here."

"I hope my daughter's chosen!"

Mala's curiosity was exerting its hold on her. She pushed her way through the crowd of people, wanting to see what was so exciting. She blinked in surprise when she saw a few Light Army Keybladers standing in the center of the circle. The one that stood foremost among them, to her surprise, was Trevor. As she stared, open-mouthed in surprise, Trevor began speaking over the clamor. "We're not here for a casual visit!" he called.

The announcement brought silence to the excited villagers. He looked around carefully, blue eyes flashing. "We're here to protect you, in case anything bad happens. That is our job, after all." The townsfolk murmured quiet agreement, and Trevor continued. "We'll be staying here for a few days before returning. We'll see if we can't get Keybladers out to this area more often." Appreciation rippled from the congregated people, and he quickly dismissed them to their own devices.

Mala, however, didn't leave. "Is this about the Knight?" she asked bluntly, unable to think of anything better to say.

He turned surprised eyes to her, the blue orbs flashing with recognition. "Well, that's part of it. When Master Tollun - the leader of the Light Army - had another close encounter with that monster, he decided it would be a good idea to check up on some of the outlying areas." He narrowed his eyes as he walked up to her. "It's…Mala, right?" he checked.

She nodded. "Surprised you remember," she muttered, to quiet for him to hear.

"And how are you getting over _your_ experience with the Knight?"

She thought of the armored, black-winged monster, with eyes that flashed eerily from behind the tinted visor of its helmet and its terrible power. "Fine," she lied. The beast still haunted her nightmares, but she wasn't willing to admit it to the young Keyblader.

He quirked an eyebrow, not quite seeming like he believed her, but said, "That's good to hear." Then he walked off, the other Keybladers following behind him.

Mala remained where she was for a few moments. Then, with a sigh, she headed off into the village. Might as well explore; after all, she did still have to find a safe place to sleep for the night.

"**Help**! The Dark Army's attacking!"

The cry jolted Mala out of her uneasy sleep. She jumped to her feet, jerking her bow off her back and stringing an arrow quickly. She peered around the side of the alleyway, back pressed close to the wall. She blinked in surprise when she only saw one shadowy shape dashing through the town. She snorted. "Not much of an attack." She couldn't help wondering if perhaps the whole thing was a trap.

She saw the forms of Light Army Keybladers begin to congregate around the lone Dark Army warrior. Wanting to know what was going on, but not wanting to be seen, Mala slunk forward through the deepest shadows she could find. It wasn't difficult to edge herself into a concealed position behind a crate, the deep shadows concealing her as she watched and listened.

"Search for others," she heard Trevor order. _I'm not the only one concerned, then, _she thought as she watched the shapes of two of the Keybladers go dashing off into the night.

"Don't bother," the Dark Army Keyblader spat. "I'm here alone."

"Really?" Trevor asked, sounding skeptical. Mala couldn't blame him. "And why should I believe you, Xuren?"

"You probably shouldn't," Xuren agreed, "except for the fact that this little attack mission was unauthorized."

Trevor snorted. "Right. The Dark Army's second in command would defy the orders of his leader, attacking a town guarded by several Keybladers _alone_, and get captured without much of a fight." His voice was scathing.

"You can thank your damn brother for that!"

Trevor froze up in shock. "M-my brother?" Mala blinked in surprise of her own. _He has a brother?_

Xuren's voice was filled with contempt as he continued. "Somehow he managed to beat me in battle. Viril wouldn't let me go on the revenge mission because apparently I was 'too injured.'" His eyes flashed in the gloom. "But I'll be damned if I just sit back and do nothing!"

Before anyone could continue, there was an explosion and a scream from the edge of the village nearest the forest. Trevor's accusing eyes were boring into the dark Keyblader. "Really? Then what's that?"

Xuren actually seemed surprised. "I don't know. No one came with me."

The truth in his words was confirmed when one of the two Keybladers that Trevor had sent out came rushing back, crying out in alarm, "The Knight! It's-" His words were cut short as a shadow suddenly appeared behind him and slashed at his neck. The force of the blow severed head from body in a spray of dark blood. Standing in the moonlight was the form of the Knight, lithe shape glittering in an unearthly light.

Mala locked up at the sight of the monster that haunted her nightmares. _No…it's back…_ She shook, no matter how hard she tried to steady herself. The force of her shaking caused the shaft of her arrow to clatter against her bow.

The Keybladers were apparently too focused on the menace before them to notice the sound. "Be brave!" Trevor called to the Keybladers, slammed the panel that released his armor as the Knight lunged for them.

"Bravery means nothing in the face of this," Xuren growled. But he lifted his Keyblade and fired a sphere of darkness at the Knight.

Trevor looked at him in surprise. "You're helping?"

Xuren snorted. "I may not like you," he growled, "but I can't fight you at my all when I have this monster to worry about." Trevor nodded, then turned back to face the Knight.

The armored creature had slashed through the sphere of darkness as if it weren't even there. It moved nimbly about the battlefield, bringing fear and destruction wherever it struck. The only thing that allowed Mala or the Keybladers to keep track of it was the glowing blue on its arm. It slashed at the Keybladers with razor sharp claws, and fired powerful magic at its assailants. Snarls erupted from its helmet, and its eyes flashed from deep within the glass.

The sight of those eyes was what finally broke Mala out of her stupor. She forced her legs to move, trying to dash away down the street before the monster could see her and follow. Heart pounding and breath shaking, she slipped into an alley, trying to force herself into a concealed space.

"What are you doing, young one?"

The voice startled her. She jumped, the action pushing her out of her hiding place. Now in stark moonlight, she felt fear pulsing through her veins that she'd be seen again. She was about to try and crawl back into her hiding place when she saw the man that stood before her. "Who…who are you?" she asked, her voice quivering.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "That's not important. Besides, I believe I asked a question first."

"I'm…trying to escape the Knight."

"I see." He blinked once, slowly. "Are you afraid?"

"What?" she yelped, surprised by his question. "Y-yeah, I am."

"Good." She blinked in surprise, not expecting this response. "Only a fool wouldn't be in this situation. However, there are times when you need to face your fears, regardless of how you feel."

"But…I'm a thief," she muttered. "We aren't exactly known for being 'brave.'"

"No," the man argued, "you are you." He paused, then continued, "It's never too late to choose a different path. And I think yours _will_ change, whether or not you want it to." He began to leave, but paused and added over his shoulder. "There are connections all around you. The Knight is much more than what you see at first glance. Be very aware of that."

"What?" she asked in surprise, but the man was already gone.

Mala was still shaking. Slowly, though, she managed to push herself to peer out from behind the corner of the alley to see where the Knight was and what was going on, her hand clenched her bow so tightly that her knuckles were white. She felt her heart tremor with fear as she saw that the Keybladers were losing. Many lay lifeless on the ground. Xuren had mysteriously disappeared. Trevor was, miraculously, still alive, though he looked battered. He was trying to instill courage in his dispirited and terrified warriors. However, it was clear that if the Knight didn't leave soon, none of them would survive.

_There are times when you need to face your fears, regardless of how you feel._

The strange man's words echoed through Mala's mind. She took a deep breath, and tried to clear her mind. Not giving herself the chance to think about it, she stepped out from where she hid in the shadows and lifted her bow, pulling back an arrow in a deft movement. Then she released.

Her aim was true. The arrow bit into the blue, glowing, exposed part of the monster's left arm. An inhuman screech emitted from the Knight. Then its head whipped around, ghostly eyes glaring at her. It reached up one clawed hand, gripping the arrow and ripping it out. Blood dripped from the wound that was almost completely hidden by the glow on its arm. As it dropped the arrow, it raised its now-free hand up to the wound. Mala's eyes widened in fear and dismay as the flesh knit itself back together. The only traces left of her attack were the small drops of blood.

Then it lunged towards her. "Mala, look out!" Trevor called.

_Yeah, no kidding, _her panicking mind managed to think as she stumbled backwards. She fumbled for an arrow in her quiver, trying to string it to her bow and aim it at the beast lunging for her.

A Keyblader lunged forward before it got to her. The Knight whipped around with a furious snarl as the Keyblade clanged uselessly off its armor. It stretched one hand out and grabbed the Keybladers helmeted head. Then, slowly, it squeezed. The armor collapsed in on itself and blood spurted from within.

Mala thought she was going to be sick.

As the Knight dropped the Keyblader's lifeless body, she expected it to renew its attack. However, it had apparently had its fill of bloodshed for one Knight. Two metal plates on its back slid open, allowing broken black wings to spread out behind it. Then it jumped into the air, flapping its wings to gain altitude as it disappeared into the deep black above.

Mala and the few remaining Keybladers seemed thoroughly shaken. Trevor seemed to be the first to recover. With unsteady steps, he worked his way over to Mala. "Thanks for stepping in to help."

"N-no problem," she stammered, still horrified by what she had seen. Then, thinking about what the man from earlier had said, she added, "Trevor, I want to ask you something."

If she could have seen his face, she was sure one eyebrow would be cocked. "What is it?"

_It's never too late to choose a different path._

She took a deep breath. "I may not be a Keyblader, but…I want to help you guys out."

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><p><em>And there's the end of chapter eleven. Please review? <em>


	12. Retaliation

_Here's chapter twelve. Thank you Draconet, Eddie Camp, SilverKing32, Oishii Hanashi, UmmeiNinja, and Kamen Rider Ebon for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twelve: Retaliation**

Riun blinked open blue eyes to morning sunlight. He yawned, sitting up and stretching his arms above his head. He looked around, seeing the shapes of the Moogles huddled all around the forest area. The Chocobo was sleeping further off in the trees.

He remembered the events from the previous day with mixed feelings. On the one hand, Mala had run off, he'd nearly been killed, and he'd discovered Gillick didn't align himself with the Dark Army. Well, he supposed he didn't align himself with the Light Army, either, but he found the concept of choosing not to be affiliated with either side strange. On the other hand, the Dark Army leader had realized he, Riun, wasn't bad, and he got to travel with Gillick.

The thought of the boy he considered a hero made him frown. He hadn't seen him yet. He stood, thinking that perhaps he'd simply decided that he'd sleep away from the others. After all, he didn't seem to be a very social person. As he looked, however, he could find no trace of him.

As Riun continued to search, some of the Moogles began to stir. "What's wrong, kupo?" one asked drowsily.

"Gillick's missing," Riun replied, looking at them with worried eyes.

Two of the Moogles exchanged glances. "It doesn't seem that surprising to me, kupo."

"But…he's going to teach me to be a hero!" Riun protested.

"Don't hold your breath, kupo."

Riun continued his search nervously. Had something happened during the night? Was he captured? Where had Gillick gone?

**Gillick **trudged along wearily. He blinked, trying to push back his exhaustion. He knew he should've tried to get some sleep before he left; however, if he'd waited until the sun had cleared the sky, it would've been much harder for him to get away. Still, the fight from the previous day and getting next to no sleep didn't bode well. It was probably the reason why he couldn't even remember half his journey.

He knew he had to continue his search for Silver. After all, he wasn't going to get paid her bounty if he came back without her. He didn't want Riun to tag along, knowing he'd simply be a liability. And he wasn't convinced the Moogles wouldn't ask for anything as payment for helping him; that was generally what happened. However, at the moment, he'd decided finding Silver could wait.

He was growing sick of the Armies always trying to push others around, and attacking when things didn't go their way. It had frustrated him before, but up until now, they'd mostly left him alone after he defected. Now…now, he was going to get back at them.

He knew a Light Army base that was near here, stationed in the mountains that he could see up ahead from amidst the fading woodland. The Light Army hadn't launched a full - out assault on him yet, true, but that didn't matter to him; he simply wanted to get the message across that he wouldn't just be beaten into submission. So he decided he'd storm the base, batter a few Keybladers, and be on his way.

…He was hoping it'd be that simple.

He sighed, exhaustion muddling his thoughts as he arrived at the base of the mountains. He looked up, trying to force his tired mind to create some sort of logical plan for entrance. A part of him informed him that a direct assault on the front gate would not be a wise choice; he knew from his time in the Light Army that it'd be heavily guarded, and he also knew he was in no state to try and take on that many head on. It took him a few moments to call up a mental map of the fortress._ There was a back route,_ he thought, but discarded that idea. That route would still be heavily guarded. _There were also secret escapes._ Those, on the other hand, would be unguarded. After all, the routes were meant to remain hidden, only to be used when members of the Light Army needed to leave undetected. Deciding on which one would be the closest, he began to make his way up the mountains.

He knew as he climbed, however, that he'd still have to remain hidden. He tried to force his mind to concentrate, positioning himself behind rocks so that anyone watching from the fortress wouldn't see him on his way up. He tried to skate the barren spots as quickly as he could. The process was long and somewhat painstaking, but he eventually managed to get to a point close to the base.

The next problem would be getting to the secret entrance. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his blurring vision, and watched the base carefully from behind his rock. From here, he could see two guards stationed at the front gate. He didn't know if there were any more in hiding or not. His eyes searched for a route to his chosen entrance that would allow him to remain hidden. His lips twisted into a frown when he saw that, whatever path he chose, he'd have trouble remaining unseen. Still, he hadn't expected it to be easy.

Gillick took a deep breath, then shot out from behind his current hiding spot to another rock. He paused as he reached it, listening for sounds of alarm. When nothing came, he made a dash for another, in this way slowly making his way forward.

Then the rocks ended. He narrowed his eyes, seeing the barren stretch of rock and gravel that stretched out before him to the hidden entrance. He rested a few moments, trying to coerce his mind into helping him come up with a plan that didn't involve him running unguarded across the open expanse. After a few moments, it responded, providing an answer; the shadows. He glanced to the sheer cliff that stretched to an area near where the base was. The shadows along its edge could help to hide him until he got to the base.

He shot to the cliff face, pressing himself to the bare rock to try and hide in the deepest shadows possible. He waited a few seconds, watching the guards warily. When neither moved, he began to edge forward. He moved slowly, knowing any abrupt movement here would attract the guard's attention. What he didn't notice, however, was the rock that his foot sent skittering across the ground. He froze, holding his breath as the guards' heads jerked towards him at the sound. After a few moments, they turned their heads away, and he released his breath, silently chastising himself for his carelessness. He edged the remainder of the way along the cliff, then made a quick dash to the side of the base.

It didn't take long for Gillick to find the entrance. For those who didn't know where it was, it would be difficult to discover with its camouflage. However, for one who had once been a part of the Light Army, it took no effort at all. He quickly opened the small, metal door. Getting down on his stomach, he squeezed into the small space, arms stretched before him to help pull him forward.

He was grateful that the small tunnel didn't go far before it opened into a secluded hallway. He stood quickly when he emerged from the cramped space, then headed down the hallway towards where it would meet one of the main hallways. Now that he was in, he figured it would be simple enough, provided he stayed awake; wait in the hidden hallway until some Keybladers passed by, then jump out and attack them. After he'd defeated them, he'd leave them with a message to leave him be, and leave the way he'd come. He was a little concerned with getting away, but figured it wouldn't prove too troublesome, now that he knew a good path.

He waited in the shadows of the smaller hallway, listening for the sound of footsteps or voices coming towards him. The minutes stretched by, and he found his head sometimes falling down against his chest, eyes starting to fall closed. He jerked his head up quickly whenever this happened, trying his best to stay awake. He was relieved when he finally heard the sound of footsteps and quiet chatter coming his way. He reached one hand up slowly, grasping the hilt of his sword. He waited as the footsteps neared. It wasn't until he first caught a glimpse of the people coming down the hallway that he lunged forward, sword sliding out of its sheath.

The Keybladers he ran into were too startled by his sudden appearance to retaliate. The flat of his blade collided with the chest of the first one, causing him to stumble backwards. He spun his blade so that its edge now faced the Keybladers, slashing at him and leaving bloody streaks across his chest. He kicked him aside with one foot. The point was to injure, not kill. If they were dead, they'd be unable to relay his message.

By now, the other Keybladers had recovered from the surprise of the attack. One lunged towards him, summoning her Keyblade. "How'd you get in here?" she hissed as he blocked her strike with his own weapon.

"Why should I tell you?" Gillick asked in response. He pulled back, allowing her to stumble forward, and ducked into a low spin, sweeping her legs out from under her.

"You…I know you!" another Keyblader cried. "You're Gillick Nogard!"

"Very perceptive," came the sarcastic response.

The Keybladers converged on him again. There weren't many; that boded well for him. He lifted his blade up to parry their blows.

However, what he didn't figure into his plans was fatigue slowing his reflexes.

One Keyblade struck his sword. Another landed on his shoulder. His breath hissed out from between his teeth. He pulled his sword away and dragged it across one of the Keyblader's legs. The man let out a cry of pain, falling to his knees. He brought his sword up to block a blow, and was unnerved to find that he was just barely quick enough. _I hope I can do this fast, _he thought. _Taking too long in this fight will be the end of me._ Steeling himself, he pressed on.

Gillick began to attack rapidly and powerfully, trying to beat back his opponents without giving them the chance to retaliate. It worked fairly well when he could focus on just one. However, when another attacked, he had to break his chain and try and focus on warding off his other assailant. He aimed at areas of the Keybladers that would distract them long enough for him to launch a counter-offensive.

He slashed his sword in a powerful sweep across all of their legs. The one, whose legs he'd already cut, was no longer able to stand. The one whose chest he'd slashed fell back, seemingly defeated. The youngest whimpered and tried to edge away from him. The girl that had spoken to him before fell to her knees, but still turned her head upwards to glare at him angrily. "Who do you think you are, coming in here and attacking us? We've done nothing to you!"

His eyes narrowed. "That's where your wrong," he hissed, thinking of all he'd gone through and seen when he was a member of the Light Army.

"Really?" came the sarcastic reply. "Enlighten me."

Gillick chose not to. Instead, he pointed the tip of his blade towards her. He heard footsteps coming towards them, and cursed under his breath. He'd have to make this quick. "Take this message to your leaders; I will not go down without a fight." He knew the message would make little sense to the Light Army, but at this point, he didn't care. He knew he needed to get back out of the passage as quickly as he could.

Suddenly something grabbed his leg. Startled and unbalanced, he fell forward, losing his grip on his sword. He looked behind him, seeing that the Keyblader had her hand wrapped around his leg. He jerked the limb free, scrambling forward to grab his sword.

By this time, the other Keybladers who'd come upon hearing the commotion appeared. "Block the exits!" one barked out.

What hope he had left died. There'd be no escape now. However, as he said, he would not go down without a fight.

Gillick lunged forward, slamming into a Keyblader full on. He gasped with surprise, the wind knocked out of him. Gillick then spun around, sword out to slash at the oncoming Keybladers. He kicked out, trying to force them back, his sword singing as it met Keyblades and flesh.

The adrenaline battle provided had worn completely off. His weapon felt heavy in his hands, and his mind felt sluggish. He tried to bring his sword up to block, but wasn't quick enough. He felt the sting of a Keyblade on his shoulder and stumbled forward. He couldn't right himself in time, and was suddenly being assaulted by several Keyblades at once. It was all he could do to drop suddenly to the ground and worm his way out beneath them, slashing at their legs as he came up in a vain attempt to disable them.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he faced the other Keybladers. He'd been a fool to come here. He should've at least rested. Should've just left it be. But he hadn't been able to. And now, he knew he'd pay the price.

It was his injuries that finally did him in. As a lightning spell hit him, he felt the wounds from his battle with Xuren crack open. His breath hissed out from between clenched teeth as pain suddenly shot through him, and he fell to one knee. As the Keybladers converged on him, he brought his sword up in a vain effort to block them. He felt the sting of the Keyblades as they pounded against him.

"Wait! Don't kill him!" At the barked command, the Keybladers backed away from him. His sword slipped from his hand, and he fell forward. In his fading consciousness, he heard the voice add, "He's more useful to us alive."

Then he knew no more.

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter twelve. Reviews are wonderful, if you want to give them.<em>


	13. No Regrets

_Here's chapter thirteen. The reason this is being updated a day early is because I'm going to New York City for a little while, and don't know exactly when I'll be back. So you get this chapter now! Thank you Eddie Camp, SilverKing32, Kamen Rider Ebon, and Draconet for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirteen: No Regrets**

"Where are we going?"

Mala couldn't keep from blurting out the curious question. Thankfully, Trevor didn't seem annoyed. "There's a Light Army base not far from here," he informed her. "Master Tollun - he's our leader - sent me a message that I'm supposed to head there. As for why…" he shrugged.

Mala nodded in understanding, then continued on behind him in silence. It had certainly been odd that they'd been called to go somewhere when the town back at the edge of the woods needed cleaning up. And it had been surprising that only Trevor had been asked to come; even more so when he asked her to come along. He told her it'd be good experience, but she wasn't too sure.

Eventually, the trees thinned and the duo found themselves at the base of a range of mountains. Looking up, Mala could see something that resembled a fortified building situated further up. She lifted a finger to point at it. "Is that it?"

Trevor nodded. "Come on; we'd best get up there." He paused a little distance up, turning back to look at her. "Need help?" he questioned, extending a hand towards her.

She shook her head; one of the good things about being a thief was that she was able to do things like this without too much difficulty. She jumped onto the trail, bypassing Trevor before turning to look back at _him._ "You coming?" A small smile etched itself on his face, and he nodded as he headed up after her.

The 'trail' wasn't really much of a trail. There were parts of it that resembled a pass - probably an attempt on the Keybladers' part to make it less perilous for their warriors to travel - but most of it was the typical mountain terrain. "Why didn't you guys make a clear path?" Mala panted as she hauled herself over a steep precipice, silently telling herself over and over not to look down.

"It's been this way for generations," Trevor responded. "It's not fun to climb, I know, but it means it will discourage our enemies."

It took them a while, but the duo eventually managed to make their way to the front of the base. _Looks more like a war fortress, _Mala thought, shading her eyes as she looked up at the towering ramparts. "No guards," Trevor commented. "That's odd."

"Maybe that's the trouble Tollun told you about," Mala suggested, and added silently, _Or maybe it's a trap._ It wasn't that she didn't trust Trevor or the Light Army leader; however, she was concerned that whoever had sent the message may not be Master Tollun.

Trevor didn't seem to share her worries, however, and nodded. "Let's go," he murmured, summoning his Keyblade and pointing it at the lock on the door. A beam of light flew from the tip, going into the lock and opening it with a click. He and Mala pushed the doors open, and they headed inside the fortress.

They hadn't walked far before a Keyblader came to meet them. "Hello, Trevor. Glad you got the message."

"Warren," he said with a nod, "is something wrong?"

"Well, your brother decided to pay us a visit," Warren replied, his tone of voice suggesting he wasn't thrilled with the fact.

"What?" Trevor exclaimed in surprise.

Mala glanced at him curiously. "Isn't that a good thing?" she asked, wondering why neither sounded happy about the fact.

Trevor exhaled heavily. "We…weren't exactly on good terms the last time we saw each other."

"When was that?"

"…Two years ago."

"_What_?"

Trevor ignored her surprised exclamation. "Where's he being held?"

"Down in the dungeons, of course," Warren replied with a roll of his eyes. Trevor nodded, then headed through the corridors with Mala following, trying to keep up with the boy's longer stride.

She felt curiosity well up inside her as she thought about Trevor's brother. Why hadn't the two of them been getting along? Why had it been enough to keep them apart for two years? What was he doing in a Light Army base, and what had he done to land himself in the dungeons? What was he like, and, most of all, who _was_ he?

Mala followed until she and Trevor found themselves down in a dark, dank dungeon, large barred cells as far as the eye could see…which didn't seem to be very far down here. Trevor proceeded more slowly, searching each of the cells for any sign of human life. He finally stopped before one, where a figure sat pressed up against the wall. He summoned his Keyblade and unlocked the door, opening it and stepping through. "Hello, brother."

The person lifted his head. Mala gasped in shock. His hands were chained to the wall above his head. A single window was high up in the stone wall of his cell, letting in slanting rays of sunlight that cast him in odd shadows and highlights. He looked battered and beaten, but a spark of defiance still flashed in his all-too-familiar amber eyes. "Gillick? Gillick is your brother?"

**At **the sound of his name, Gillick turned his head towards the person who'd come with his younger sibling. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Mala, who just seemed shocked. "The coward returns," he hissed at her, in no mood to even _try_ to be civil with the thief girl.

She narrowed her eyes, taking a step forward and opening her mouth as if she were going to send back a stinging retort. Trevor stopped her with and outstretched hand. "Please leave," he told her quietly. "What I have to say is not for all ears." Mala looked confused and curious, but didn't object. With one last hostile glance at Gillick, she turned and headed out of the cell.

Gillick drew his legs under him and managed to push himself into a standing position, his arms stretched awkwardly behind him because of the shackles. He looked at his brother, not sure what to feel. He'd grown since he last saw him, but that was to be expected. He'd added streaks of white to his formerly completely ash-gray hair, and his blue eyes sparked with new power. After two years, the two brothers were finally together again…though not on completely friendly terms.

They watched each other, neither seeming to quite know what to say. Finally, Gillick broke the silence. "Why are you here?"

"Why are _you_ here?" Trevor countered.

He was _not_ going to admit to his stupid actions in front of his younger sibling. "None of your concern," he responded.

"Really?" Trevor sounded highly sarcastic. _At least he picked up_ something_ from me,_ he thought grimly. "I believe that _I'm _still a part of the Light Army, and you're not."

"You're point?" Gillick growled, looking away.

Trevor sighed in defeat. "Fine. But answer this." The former Keyblader glanced back towards him. "Why did you leave the Light Army?"

Gillick snorted, turning his head to face his brother fully once more with narrowed amber eyes. "If you weren't so blinded, you'd know why."

"You sound like a Dark Army warrior," Trevor hissed, his blue eyes suddenly narrowed, as well.

"And I'm not a part of them now, either, am I?" he snapped, annoyed.

"Why? Why have you abandoned the way of the Keyblade?" Trevor's temper seemed to be rising, as well. "Don't you have any sense of loyalty?"

"Loyalty?" Gillick spat mockingly. "And what is that? A pretty word, nothing more."

"A _pretty word_?" Trevor snarled. "Loyalty is sticking by someone or something, and never leaving them to face challenges on their own. But I guess you wouldn't know anything about that, huh?" He shook his head. "You're not the person I used to look up to; who I used to trust. You don't care about anything but yourself anymore!"

"Your wrong," Gillick growled back. "I still care about my _family_, which is more than I can say for you."

"What?" Trevor snapped, eyes glaring blue fire.

"You'd kill me in a heart beat if your Master told you to." He narrowed his eyes. "Just like an obedient little puppy."

"What happened to caring about your family?" Trevor demanded.

Gillick noticed he didn't deny his claim. "Truth hurts sometimes," he growled back, more quietly now.

Trevor snorted. "You've never been one to take people's feelings into consideration much, Gil," the younger boy admitted grudgingly.

"Don't call me that!" Gillick snapped back.

"Why? Are you trying to get rid of all connections to your past, too?"

He lowered his head, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth. "Get out," he hissed.

"What?" Trevor asked.

"Get out!" Gillick shouted without lifting his head.

There was a pause before Trevor responded. "Fine." His footsteps echoed off the stone floor as he left. Gillick heard him close the cell door and lock it once more before continuing on his way.

He sank back down onto the floor. He felt cold and out of strength. Right now…all he wanted to do…was sleep…

_**After **__the incident with the creature he would later come to know as the Knight, Gillick rapidly began to grow disillusioned with the Light Army. Remembering what Tollun had done, he began to see the things he'd turned a blind eye to before. It seemed that the Keybladers of the Light Army didn't really care about helping people; they only cared about helping themselves._

_The boy who'd once been dedicated to becoming the 'best Keyblader ever' had become cynical and withdrawn, no longer enjoying being a Keyblade warrior in service of the Light Army. He could see the hidden motives behind another Keyblader's actions…even when there was none to be found._

_The only member of the Light Army he'd converse with for very long was Trevor. But his brother was growing, slowly leaving behind his timid nature and becoming a brave young wielder of the Keyblade. Gillick wasn't entirely comfortable with this change, but…he was still his younger brother. So he'd still watch out for him, protecting him as best he could from the dangers of the world…and of the Light Army itself._

"_You seem a little troubled."_

_Gillick jumped in surprise at the sound of the voice. "Who's there?" he asked, whipping around to try and find where the voice was coming from._

"_Someone who can help you."_

_He snorted in disbelief. "Really?" came the sarcastic reply. "And how could _you _help _me_?"_

"_Simple." A person suddenly stepped out of the shadows before him, causing him to stumble backwards. "I am Viril," the man said, his eyes hidden by bangs, "leader of the Dark Army."_

_Gillick summoned his Keyblade immediately, getting into a battle stance. "What are you doing here?" he growled, remembering all he'd heard about the Dark Army._

"_Because it seems like you're finally seeing the truth," Viril replied. "You're finally realizing that the Light Army is not what it claims to be. The Keybladers of the light," he spat the word out with disgust, "are blinded by their own element, and can no longer see the virtues they once sought to uphold."_

_Gillick's stance relaxed slightly. That was true. And…if it was the _Light Army _who told him all those things about the Dark Army…then how did he know it was true? They may just have been trying to make sure he stayed on their side. "So what of it?" he asked finally._

"_You don't like it," Viril stated. Gillick didn't respond, which simply confirmed the statement. Viril extended a hand. "I can take you somewhere where things are much different than this."_

"_The Dark Army?" Gillick guessed. Viril nodded. The younger Keyblader's blue eyes narrowed in thought. Perhaps, he could join them…_

_As he extended his hand, however, he saw red eyes flash behind the bangs of the leader of the Dark Army. The sight reminded him of the glittering eyes of the Knight, causing him to jerk his hand back. The thought of the Knight…reminded him of Trevor. "No," he replied, shaking his head. "I have to protect my brother."_

_Viril frowned, obviously not pleased with his response, and drew his hand back. "Very well," he growled. "But the offer will remain open, if you ever change your mind." Then he returned to the shadows._

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><p><em>Yep, it's the end of chapter thirteen. Reviews would be great, please?<em>


	14. Leap of Faith

_This is chapter fourteen. Thank you Kamen Rider Ebon, Silverking32, and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fourteen: Leap of Faith**

When Trevor emerged from the dungeon, he was feeling depressed and agitated. His first meeting with his brother in two years…had ended badly. He exhaled slowly. He supposed it should've been expected. Still…he missed the Gillick he'd known when he was little. It had seemed so much simpler back then.

"Trevor!"

The Keyblader stopped at the sound of his name. He glanced behind him to see another warrior of the Keyblade rushing towards him. "Is it important?" he asked, not really in the mood to talk.

The Keyblader stopped before him. "Did you talk to the prisoner?" she asked.

He turned his head away. "He's my brother, too, you know," he responded, an edge to his voice.

"But did you get any information out of him?"

"Information?" he echoed, turning back to look at her.

She sighed in exasperation. "You know, about the Dark Army?"

He tensed. "What?"

Her eyes narrowed suddenly. "That's the whole reason he's still alive right now. We all know he deserted us for the Dark Army. Even if he's not a part of them any more, he can still give us information."

He was finding in harder to keep control of his emotions. "You just…want to use him…to get _information_?"

"Think!" she growled. "It'll help the Light Army! We may finally be able to get rid of the Dark Army once and for all."

He didn't want to deal with this any more. "Shut up!" he snapped, fists clenched. He whipped around, beginning to stalk away.

There were a few moments of silence before the other Keyblader called after him, "Perhaps you're more like your brother than I thought."

Trevor closed his eyes tightly. At one time, he would've considered that a compliment. Now…he didn't know what to make of it.

**Mala** found that it didn't take long for her to grow bored waiting for Trevor. So, instead of simply standing outside the entrance to the dungeon, she'd begun to explore the interior of the base. Even though she was technically working for the Light Army now, though, she felt nervous walking openly through the halls, and ended up hugging the shadows. She resisted the instinct to grab anything that she felt was important; after all, she couldn't steal from Keybladers.

She'd found a few areas that looked like barracks, which she had decided to stay out of. She'd also found something that resembled a dining hall. She'd poked around there a bit more, but had ended up feeling like she was too out in the open, and quickly left. There'd been a library, which she'd walked around for a long time before finally heading off to new areas.

Even as she explored, however, she couldn't stop thinking about the shocking revelation that Gillick was Trevor's brother. The two seemed…so different. Trevor was a Keyblader, a protector of the weak and innocent. He was kind, and loyal, and brave. Gillick was nothing more than a bounty hunter. He was brave, sure, but he was also selfish, and easily angered, and anti-social. Mala shook her head, still grappling with the revelation and still finding herself unable to see the relationship between the two brothers. No wonder they hadn't talked in two years.

"Mala!" a voice barked.

She jerked her head up in surprise at the sound of her name. "Oh, hi, Trevor," she said, surprised to see him storming down the hall.

"What are you doing here? Why didn't you wait at the dungeon entrance?" he growled when he reached her.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "You never said I had to," she responded.

"It was implied," he responded, brushing past her.

She snorted. "Maybe there is a way you two are related," she muttered.

Trevor froze. He took a deep breath, as if he was trying to collect himself, then turned around and faced her once more. "Look, I'm sorry, but my 'reunion' with Gillick didn't go very well. I don't really want to talk right now, alright?"

"You know, you really shouldn't keep stuff bottled up inside!" she called after him. He shook his head, but made no verbal reply.

Mala looked after him as he left, her gaze troubled. Eventually, she returned to exploring, though her mind was hardly on what she saw.

**Mala **avoided Trevor the rest of the day, in attempt to honor his wishes and give him some quiet and space. However, as night began to fall, she was finally forced to seek him out. "Um, Trevor?" she asked hesitantly when she finally found the barracks he was in. It was empty save for him. "Where am I going to sleep?"

He looked up in surprise at her entrance. He heaved a tired sigh. "Sorry, Mala. There are some empty bunks in here you could sleep in."

His face looked tired and strained. Her shoulders drooped. "You know, you don't have to keep saying 'sorry'. Gillick's a…hard person to deal with."

Trevor blinked, looking surprised for a few moments before remembrance flashed in his eyes. "That's right; you know Gillick." His gaze was littered with questions. "But…how?"

"He saved me from some goon- er, thugs," she amended, remembering the term 'goonies' wasn't used much outside of her small town.

"That's right," he muttered, a hand on his head. "I remember you saying that when I came to your town."

She nodded. "We ran into each other twice more after that; once not long after the Knight attacked my town, and once when he was really beat up. Actually, I don't think he's healed from that yet." She shrugged. "Not a very friendly guy. He doesn't seem to like Keybladers, either. Can you explain that?"

Trevor gave a heavy sigh. "It's a long story, and one that I think only he should tell."

Mala snorted at his response. "Why can't you?"

"He's still my brother," Trevor replied quietly. "He may be different from when we were little, but…" He shook his head.

"But…?"

He looked her in the eyes, blue meeting blue. "But I still believe in him. Sometimes it's hard, and sometimes I don't understand why." He laughed humorously. "But, sometimes, I see remnants of the brother I knew, and I wonder if he can learn to be a hero."

Mala blinked in surprise. "Gillick? A hero?" She almost laughed. "What would give you that idea?"

"He spared my life…at the risk of his own." This caused her to falter. A grim smile crossed his face. "That was the last time we saw each other…well, before now, that is." Then his eyes grew dark. "I'm not even sure…what'll happen to him now…"

She shifted nervously upon seeing his nervous expression. "Well, can't you…let him go…?" she blurted finally. She didn't have any family left, but…she couldn't imagine that it would be easy to watch bad things happen to a family member.

He shook his head sadly. "I have to do what Master Tollun says."

She read enough out of that statement: even if he didn't like what his master said, he'd obey. And he was afraid to go against his master. Resolve suddenly filled her. _Trevor_ wouldn't let Gillick go, but…_she_ could.

"_**Trevor!"**_

_His younger brother looked up as he approached. "Hi, Gil," he said half-heartedly._

_Gillick frowned at his tone. "Is something wrong?"_

_Trevor sniffed. "I don't know…you tell me."_

_Confusion set in. "What are you talking about?"_

_Trevor turned to look at him square in the eye. "Master Tollun said he saw you talking to a Dark Army Keyblader the other day."_

_Gillick stiffened. He'd seen him talking to Viril? "Yeah, I did, but-"_

"_Why?" Trevor interrupted. "The Dark Army's evil."_

_Gillick's gaze suddenly hardened. "Well, I don't think they're any worse than some of the Light Army Keybladers."_

"_What?" Trevor yelped in surprise._

_Gillick snorted. "Come on, you haven't seen it?" He stopped where his words were leading him when he saw the look on his brother's face. He sighed and rested one hand on his shoulder. "Look, don't worry, I'll protect you."_

"_Stop!" Trevor protested, pulling away. Gillick blinked in surprise as his brother rounded on him. "I don't need protecting! I'm a Keyblader now, too, you know! And how could you talk to one of _them_ and then say bad stuff about the Light Army? What's wrong with you?"_

_Gillick's eyes narrowed, and he felt his heart sink. _No…not him, too… _"What's wrong with _me_?" he hissed. "Trevor, look at some of the things some of the Light Army Keybladers do! You don't see anything wrong with that?"_

"_Everything they do is good, because they're the good guys!" Trevor protested._

"_Trevor, please, don't let the light blind you, too!" Gillick begged, his voice holding an obvious pleading note. He couldn't lose his little brother…he couldn't…_

"_You sound like one of _them_," Trevor growled. He put his fingers in his ears. "I don't want to listen any more."_

_The older boy's gaze suddenly hardened. Without saying anything, he spun around and headed back the way he'd come. He felt cold and angry. His brother…had really fallen for all those lies. And now he was talking like _he_ was the bad guy?_

_He broke into a run. "Viril!" he called out into the still air. He finally stopped his dash, looking up into the sky. "Viril, I've changed my mind!" he called, tears beginning to form. "I want to join you!"_

"_Really?" a voice asked from the shadows. Gillick spun around, and saw the leader of the Dark Army step from the shadows. "And what made you change your mind?"_

"_T-they got to Trevor," he whimpered, feeling numb. "There's…no reason for me to stay…anymore."_

_Red eyes glinted behind Viril's long bangs. "Very well." He removed the armor plate attached to Gillick's shoulder, replacing it with a new one. "If you're going to be one of us," he hissed, "you need to have our armor." Then he laid a hand on the boy's other shoulder. His bangs parted, allowing his eyes to be fully revealed, blazing red as they looked into blue. "And you'll need to have our power."_

_Pain and power suddenly raced through him. He arched his back, a cry escaping from between his lips. He could feel it…the power of darkness seeping inside him, neutralizing the power of light. His eyes suddenly felt like they were burning. When Viril removed his hand, he was panting and shivering. "You have now been touched by darkness," the dark Keyblader hissed. "Come; you are one of us now."_

"_Gillick!" a voice called out behind him._

_The boy lifted his head. Cold amber eyes met his brother's blue ones, stopping the boy in his tracks. He saw tears stream down Trevor's face. He turned away, following behind Viril. His own eyes were now dry._

**Gillick **blinked open his eyes at the sound of something rattling in the lock on his cell door. He lifted his head as the door swung open with a creek. "Mala?" he hissed in surprise as the girl slipped in.

"Yeah, hi," she muttered, heading over to his side and sticking something that looked like a lock pick into the locks on his shackles.

"What are you doing?" Gillick asked in surprise.

"Setting you free," the girl responded. The shackles fell from his wrists. "You're lucky I'm a thief, or I'd never be able to get you out of here."

He rubbed his wrists, looking at her suspiciously. "Why are you doing this?" he hissed. "You hate me."

She shrugged. "Well, I don't like you very much, no. But Trevor still cares about you."

He snorted, still suspicious. "Why would you set me free for Trevor's sake?" he asked quietly.

"I suppose I'm taking a leap of faith, and hoping I don't crash," Mala muttered.

"But…what do you-"

"Look, I don't want _anything_," she growled. "I'm trying to do something nice, so don't make this harder than it needs to be!" With that, she jerked him to his feet, and gave him a push towards the cell door.

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><p><em>And that'd be the end of chapter fourteen. Reviews are great, please?<em>


	15. Get Away

_Here's chapter fifteen. Thank you Kamen Rider Ebon, caitlinkeitorin, Oishii Hanashi, Eddie Camp, Silverking32, and Draconet for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifteen: Get Away**

Though he wasn't sure how much he should trust Mala, Gillick wasn't going to waste an opportunity to escape. He tried to dash along the line of cells and out of the dungeons, but found that the action hurt him. He groaned, leaning down and clutching his side. _Shit._ On top of his previous injuries, he also had to deal with the ones he'd gotten from the Keybladers. This was likely to end badly.

"You're not going to get out alone," Mala warned from behind him.

He knew that. He'd never admit to it, though. "How do you know?" he snapped back, struggling upright and staggering a few paces forward. Walking caused him to ache, but it was bearable. That was a small relief.

"Well, firstly, because you're injured. Secondly, because you don't know your way around here. And thirdly, because I'm not sure how much you know about being concealed."

"I know enough to get out," he hissed.

Mala gave an exasperated sigh as he continued to limp forward. Suddenly, he felt something slip beneath his right arm and lift up, taking some of his own weight. "You're very hard to help."

"What are you doing?" Gillick hissed at Mala.

"What did I just say?" the girl responded in frustration.

"I can do it myself!" he snapped, jerking away from her. He winced as it aggravated the still-sensitive wounds once more.

"Fine!" Mala snapped, frustration finally causing her to give up on him. "But when you get caught again, don't blame me!" He snorted, continuing forward, as she called after him, "Trevor would be pretty upset if anything happened to you."

He froze. "Yeah, right," he responded quietly. "He doesn't…need me." With that, he left the thief behind.

When he emerged into the hallway, he immediately looked around for any sign of Keybladers. When everything appeared to be clear, he slipped into the open, trying to stay in the shadows of the hall to avoid detection should anyone come. He felt a twinge of annoyance at being forced to crawl along at a snail's pace, but if he wanted to keep his wounds from acting up again, he couldn't afford to go faster. A part of him knew that he'd be better off if he'd accepted Mala's help. The greater part of him told him that trusting her was a dangerous bet, and he was better off on his own.

He stopped as he heard footsteps coming towards him. He looked around quickly for an escape route. _There!_ On the other side of the hallway was a door. He started forward quickly, only for pain to lance through him. He gasped involuntarily and staggered.

"Did you hear that?" a voice asked.

Knowing he'd never make it now, he forced himself backwards into the small shadows of the wall. He knew they wouldn't hide him, but he had no other choice. Maybe…if he curled himself up small enough, they wouldn't notice him. …It was a slim hope.

"Where are you guys going?"

Gillick lifted his head in surprise at the voice. Mala!

"We were just heading back to the barracks when we heard a noise," another voice replied. "We were just going to check it out."

"Oh, you heard that?" Mala replied. "That was me scuffling with the prisoner. He's escaped!"

Anger flared inside him. That back-stabbing bitch.

"What?" a voice cried in alarm.

"Yeah, he went that way!" Mala responded.

"Thanks, kid. We owe you one."

Gillick pushed himself to his feet, clenching his fists and tensing. He didn't have his sword, but he could still fight them with his fists…or at least try to. He was surprised, though, when he heard the sound of their rapid footsteps fading instead of growing.

Around the corner appeared the form of Mala. She frowned at him. "Still think you don't need my help?"

"You told him I got out!" he growled quietly, his mind grappling with the fact that she hadn't sent them towards him.

"Ok, that may not have been my brightest move," she admitted, "but it _did_ get them running off." Her blue eyes narrowed at him. "And I don't think you're getting anywhere without your sword."

His amber eyes flashed with surprise. "Do you know where they have it?"

She snorted, and turned away. "Maybe."

His eyes narrowed. "What will it take for you to tell me?"

She sighed, turning back around to face him once more. "It'll take your trust," Mala responded. She extended a hand towards him.

Gillick looked from the hand back to her. "That may be more than I have to give," he responded quietly. Still, he needed his sword. He took her hand.

She smiled, shook his hand once, and let go. "Good, then let's go."

Mala headed off down the halls, and he followed behind. She set a fast pace, and he tried to keep up. However, the action aggravated his wounds, and he was finally forced to hiss, "Slow down! I can't move fast right now, remember?"

She halted and glanced back at him, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "Right. Sorry, forgot." He accepted her apology with a snort, and the two continued forward at a slower pace.

From the way she was twitching, Gillick could tell the young thief was as annoyed at having to move slow as he was. So both were relieved when they finally reached the room where his weapon was. "Here we are," Mala declared quietly.

Gillick tried the door, and his breath hissed out between his teeth in frustration. "Locked." And it didn't matter _how_ much he wanted to get his sword back, he _would not_ summon his Keyblade to unlock the door.

Mala sighed behind him. "Let me through." She pushed past him, slipping her lock picks into the lock and twisting them around until a click sounded. She opened the door, and turned to look at him with a smug smile on her face. "See? Aren't you happy you accepted my help now?" He ignored the comment, instead pushing past her into the room. It didn't take long for him to find his unique weapon and reattach it to his back.

When he turned to face her, she said, "Ok, now to get you out of here."

"You've done enough," he responded. "I can get myself out."

She crossed her arms and scowled at him. "Because that went so well the last time. Besides, now they're looking for you."

"And who's fault was that?" Still, she had a point. "Fine."

She led him out into the hall, and the duo crept quietly down the corridors. Occasionally, a Keyblader would pass by, and Mala would either push him into an unlocked room or push him against the wall and use her body to hide him, inevitably causing him pain.

Eventually, though, her tactics backfired on her. When they heard a group of Keybladers coming quickly towards them, Mala quickly opened a door and shoved him inside. He leaned against the door, listening.

"What- The prisoner!"

He realized too late he should've been listening to what was in the room.

Gillick whipped his head around and saw a Keyblader staring at him in surprise. He rapped a fist urgently against the door. The Keyblader had summoned her Keyblade and he had begun to draw his sword before the door open and he was jerked out. He pushed the door quickly shut behind him as Mala hissed, "What was with the knocking on the door? You nearly gave yourself away!"

"There was a person in that room!" he growled back.

"…Oh."

Gillick could feel the person pushing on the door. Swallowing his pride, he whispered to Mala, "Could you…help me? I can't…move fast enough to get away on my own right now."

Surprise flared in her eyes at his admittance, but she nodded. She twisted one of her lock picks into the lock on the door, then lent him her support and the two hurried down the hall. "That should give us a little time, at least," she muttered.

By now, they were nearing the back entrance, and there were more Keybladers to sneak by. Worse yet, word was getting around that Gillick had escaped. Mala kept him pressed up close to the wall, trying to shield him with her body as best she could. With so many Keybladers around, however, he knew it couldn't be much longer before he was noticed. "We're going to get caught."

"If you have a better idea, I'd love to hear it," Mala responded.

The two had made it to the large, open area before the gate to the back entrance. His eyes scanned the area, before finally lighting upon a cart. _Goods come in on the carts, _he remembered, _and then the carts are sent back out._ "Hey," he whispered to the thief girl.

"What?" she hissed back.

"…Thanks." He felt her grip on him loosen, caught slightly off guard, and he jerked away. He thought he could hear her making a quiet protest, but ignored it. Instead, he crept towards the cart, managing to slip inside without being noticed.

The cart was already empty, to his relief. It wasn't long before it jerked forward. Gillick leaned back against the wall of the vessel. It wouldn't be long now, and he could leave the memory of this ill-fated mission behind.

**Mala **shook her head in wonder as she watched the black-haired boy slip towards the cart and go inside. _He's lucky no one saw him, _she thought, rolling her eyes. She questioned the intelligence of setting him free. However, she'd been doing it for Trevor's sake, not for his. She exhaled heavily. _Speaking of Trevor, I should probably find him._ She didn't know how he'd react to the news that his brother had escaped, but she figured he needed to know.

She headed back down the hallways, her usual cautiousness still in place, but the added wariness she'd had to have when smuggling Gillick out gone. After a few twists and turns she opened a door, and screwed up her face when she saw it was the wrong one. _Maybe I need to do some more exploring,_ she thought with a sigh, going down different hallways and opening different doors in the hopes that she'd find the barracks that Trevor was in.

Thankfully, he found her first. "Mala!" She sighed when relief when she saw the boy heading towards her, and waved in greeting. "Where've you been?"

"Lost," she replied. It was a half truth. "Apparently I don't know this place as well as I thought."

Trevor's blue gaze bored into her. "Did you know Gillick escaped?"

"Oh, so that's what all the fuss is about?" She shrugged innocently.

Trevor opened his mouth, as if about to question her, but was interrupted by another Keyblader. "Sir," he panted, "Master Tollun is here, at the front gate. He wishes to see you." Trevor looked at him, then nodded. He headed off and Mala, not knowing what else to do, decided to follow him.

When they arrived at the front gate, they found a man with black hair and a stubble of beard was waiting. Armor gleamed on one shoulder, and his silver eyes glittered with light. "Master Tollun," Trevor said, bowing with respect. Mala quickly followed his example.

"Trevor," Tollun replied. Slowly, the young Keyblader and thief erected themselves. "What's this I here about your brother escaping?"

"I don't know," Trevor admitted truthfully. "I just found out about it myself."

Tollun cocked one eyebrow. "You wouldn't have let him go, would you?"

"Of course not, sir!" Trevor protested in alarm. "I'd never betray the Light Army!"

Tollun heaved a sigh. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. You've always proved yourself loyal. Still-"

He was cut off by the sound of a ruckus outside the gate. He frowned, turning and heading towards the entrance, with Trevor and Mala following more slowly behind. "What's going on out here?" he demanded, thrusting the door open.

Mala gasped in surprise. Before them stood two Keybladers, weapons pointed towards a young boy sitting on a Chocobo. A young boy that was very familiar. "Riun!"

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter fifteen. Review?<em>


	16. Opposing Sides

_Here's chapter sixteen. Thank you Kamen Rider Ebon, Silverking32, Eddie Camp, caitlinkeitorin, and Draconet for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixteen: Opposing Sides**

Riun turned his head at the sound of Mala's voice, eyes glowing with relief. "Mala!"

"You know him?" Trevor asked in surprise.

She nodded. "Yeah. He sort of…idolizes Gillick." Trevor quirked an eyebrow at her statement, but she continued on before he could comment further. "Riun, what are your doing here?"

"Well, Gillick, me, and the Moogles got away," Riun replied, "but then Gillick disappeared! So, the Moogles let me take this Chocobo and ride it to find him." He glared at the Light Army Keybladers. "Then these Light Army jerks told me they captured him."

"Hold your tongue!" Trevor protested.

Mala didn't like what he'd said, either, but didn't comment on it. Instead, she replied, "Gillick's already escaped."

The two guards turned to look at her in surprise. "What?" one exclaimed.

The other one groaned, throwing his hands in the air. "Why are we always the last to know?"

"Get back to work," Tollun ordered. The two looked at each other, then back at Riun. "The boy will come in with us," the leader of the Light Army informed them. They accepted this answer, and stood to the side to allow Riun to pass. The boy stuck his tongue out at them as he rode through on his Chocobo.

"Mala," he asked when they doors had shut, "where'd you go when the Moogle village was being attacked? And why are you with the Light Army? They're bad!"

"What?" she exclaimed in surprise. "The _Dark_ Army's the bad one, hence the name."

"Nu-uh," Riun replied in surprise, eyes growing wide. "The Light Army is. It blinds people."

"Enough." Tollun's voice broke into their fighting. He beckoned to one of the Keybladers hovering around in the open space. "Take this boy to a room. Guard him, but don't do anything to him yet. You'll await _my_ orders, understand?" The Keyblader nodded and bowed, then escorted a nervous-looking Riun out of the room. A few others fell in behind them. Tollun watched them go, silver eyes glowing. Then he fixed his gaze on Mala. "So, who is this, Trevor?"

"Her name is Mala, sir," he replied when she didn't respond. "She's not a Keyblader, but she wants to help us."

She found her voice again. "I've always admired Keybladers." She bowed deeply. "I'll do whatever you ask, sir."

She could feel Tollun's gaze boring into her. She remained in her bow until she felt his gaze shift and heard him say, "Is she trust-worthy?"

"Yes," Trevor replied with a firm nod.

"Even though she talks so comfortably with a supporter for the Dark Army?"

"I didn't know he supported the Dark Army," she protested quickly.

She flinched when Tollun shot her a look, and Trevor added, "He's only a child; he's probably just following what his parents have told him. He'll come around."

Tollun relented with a sigh. "Very well. In any case, I have something important to discuss with you, Trevor."

"Um…should I go?" Mala asked hesitantly.

She didn't really want to; she was too curious, and it felt dangerous to eavesdrop on Keybladers. So she was relieved when Tollun gave her a wry smile. "Oh, if you're as trustworthy as Trevor says you are, then I don't see a problem with you staying." She nodded, a smile passing across her lips, as he continued. "It seems your brother's starting to interfere with our work."

Trevor's eye twitched. "Yes."

Tollun heaved a heavy sigh. "Perhaps it's time we dealt with him."

Two sets of blue eyes widened in shock. "But, sir-"

"I know he's your brother," Tollun interrupted, "but we can't afford to have to deal with him, the Dark Army, _and_ the Knight."

"I'm sure this was just a one time thing," Trevor said quickly, eyes flickering with fear.

"But how do you know that?" Tollun countered. "It's well known that he doesn't like Keybladers, and will kill one without a second thought. He's been left alone because he's mostly stayed out of our way. But now…" The man shook his head. "We can't afford the chance."

Trevor seemed to be struggling with the idea of being the cause of his brother's death. Finally, he seemed to relent. "What do you want me to do?" he whispered, looking defeated.

"Find an assassin," Tollun replied, "and pay him or her to kill him."

"Yes, sir." The young Keyblader slunk away, and Mala followed quickly behind. She couldn't help feeling a small sense of despair herself. _Did I save him…just for him to die?_

**The **cart rolled to a stop just as night was beginning to fall. Gillick listened in silence as its driver shuffled around outside. Impatience gnawed at him as full night slowly fell upon the world. It was only after he heard the sound of the rustling stop and snoring replace it that he slipped out of the cart.

He felt a sense of relief to see a small copse of trees nearby. He walked slowly over to it, stopping and sitting down against a tree as soon as he entered. He glanced back at the cart from where he sat. He wanted to ride in the cart until he made it to the next town; it would be easier on him, with his injuries. However, he didn't want to risk being found by sleeping inside of it.

He sighed heavily. His quest to find Silver would have to start again soon. He may be injured, but he was also almost out of munny. He couldn't wait any longer. _No more distractions,_ he decided silently. He pulled out Silver's wanted poster, eyeing the face imprinted on it. _I have to focus on my task._ With a last glance at both the poster and the cart, he hid the paper away and fell into an uneasy sleep.

**Xuren** swallowed hard as he stood before Viril. Normally, it was difficult to get the leader of the Dark Army into a rage. However, after he'd had to rescue him from the Light Army after the failed attack on Gillick, he was pissed. Currently, they were in a Dark Army village some distance away from the Light Army village where he'd been captured. Xuren stood still in the middle of the street, with Viril pacing back in forth in from of him, arms folded behind his back and the red of his eyes blazing from beneath his bangs.

Finally, the Dark Army leader stopped in front of him. "What did you think you were doing?" he snapped.

"Getting an edge over the Light Army," Xuren replied, trying to act normal. However, it was difficult with a pair of eerie red eyes boring into him.

"I told you not to fight," Viril growled. "You were too injured. And you blatantly disobeyed my orders!"

"Sorry," Xuren hissed through gritted teeth, amber eyes narrowing as he fell into a half-bow.

"'Sorry' isn't good enough," Viril responded. Xuren flinched. Would he be taken off his duties? That'd be torture. He didn't dare lift his head. Finally, Viril continued, "You shall stay here for a while, and help to guard this village."

He jerked up in surprise. "That's it?"

Those red eyes were still glowing. "Oh, don't worry, you'll still get a true punishment," Viril responded quietly. Then he whipped around and left.

Xuren's shoulders sagged slightly. It wasn't much of a punishment, but guarding the town _would_ be boring. And, if Viril was planning on punishing him more, then when he returned, he'd be in store for much worse.

**The **moon was high in the sky when the trouble began.

Xuren was sitting on top of a roof, boredom and lack of sleep causing his eyes to droop. Some other Dark Army Keybladers were pacing the streets. His eyes narrowed as he watched them, a sneer curling his lips. _Lucky._ They got shifts, so none of them were too tired to do their jobs. He didn't figure he'd be lucky enough to get one, considering how angry Viril had been.

The sound of beating wings suddenly echoed in his ears. His head shot up, but he could see nothing out of the ordinary. He sighed, looking away. _Of course it's nothing interesting, _he thought sardonically.

Then a burst of fire shot from the sky. He jumped to his feet as a building erupted into flames, screams resounding through the air. In the glow of the fire, he could just make out the shape of something hovering in the air. _Yes!_ He summoned his Keyblade and slid off the side of the building, flinching as he hit the ground. Then he stood up, racing towards the fire with the other Keybladers. The Knight would certainly provide a way to make his night more exciting.

The silhouette of the Knight had disappeared, but the sound of screams indicated that it was still on the prowl. "Put out the fire!" someone cried. Two Keybladers stopped and fired several consecutive Blizzaga spells, the ice melting from the heat of the flames, allowing it to smothering the fire. A few more Keybladers raced into the building, trying to get out any survivors of the blaze.

Xuren was unconcerned with them. His target was the Knight. "Come on out!" he called.

"Are you mad?" a Keyblader nearby hissed at him.

He remembered the fight at the Light Army village, and replied, "We have a score to settle."

He ran towards the sound of the screams. As the screams grew louder, he saw a shadow flitting through the darkness of night, a patch of glowing blue illuminated its path. "You can't hide with a mark like that," Xuren hissed, his eyes filling with a wild light and a manic smile curling his lips. He lifted his Keyblade to strike at the monster as it hovered over a dead body.

He was caught off guard when it whipped around and grabbed his Keyblade with one clawed hand. It swung him around by his weapon, releasing it and sending him flying in the side of a building. He lay there, stunned, for a few moments. The Knight simply looked on.

Xuren's eyes narrowed at the beast. _It's mocking me, _he thought as it made no move to attack him. He began to struggle back to his feet, eyes glaring yellow fire.

Suddenly the Knight lunged forward. Xuren lifted his Keyblade quickly, shooting a Fire spell from its tip quickly. It hit the beast in the chest. He didn't expect the measly magic to do anything. However, the Knight stopped short, feet skidding in the dust to keep it from continuing forward. The glowing light on its arm seemed to dim a little, and something that sound almost like breathing could be heard from the helmet.

He wasn't going to waste his chance. He lunged forward, trying to strike before the monster could recover.

He wasn't quickly enough. It spun away from him, hitting him in the side with one of its fists. He stumbled, caught off balance, and suddenly found himself being blasted by Blizzard spells. A few hit before he was able to get his Keyblade up in time to block.

Now he was forced onto the defensive. The Knight shot varying forms of magic at him; Fire, Blizzard, Lightning, even Light and Darkness. He was panting by the time the creature finally let up in its assault. The blue glow on its arms grew even duller. What was stranger, though, was that the beast seemed to be breathing heavily, too. He'd always thought this monster was something that could never be worn down.

Then it heaved a massive breath, and summoned an Aero spell around it, charging forward. Xuren was unable to block it. The spell didn't send him flying far, though, as the Knight caught him in its powerful hands. The monster's grip tightened, and he regretted not putting on his armor. As he cried out in pain, he saw a pair of yellow-white eyes flash from within the dark depths of the helmet's visor. Xuren stopped struggling at the sight of them. They reminded him of Viril's eyes, when the leader of the Dark Army had been lecturing him, and had warned him about a punishment still to come.

Suddenly the Knight released him. It hissed as broken black wings spread out from its back. Then it jumped into the night sky, flying away from the scene. And, as Xuren watched it go, he couldn't help wondering if his leader had known that the attack would happen.

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><p><em>So, there's the end of chapter sixteen. What'd you think? Reviews are always welcome!<em>


	17. Mercy

_This is chapter seventeen. Thank you caitlinkeitorin, Draconet, and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Seventeen: Mercy**

"All right, kid, here you go."

Riun looked up at the Keyblader as he was shoved into the room. He stuck his tongue out at him. "Bullies!"

The Keyblader snorted, the ones behind him snickering. "Listen, kid, it was gracious of Master Tollun to let you stay here. He _could_ have sent you back out into the world, where you'd be easy prey for the Knight."

Riun cocked his head to one side. "The…Knight?"

The Keyblader laughed. "Oh, you don't know what that is, do you? It's a monster; an animated suit of armor with magic and incredible strength and speed. It flies on black wings, and makes noises that aren't even relatively human."

"I heard," another added, "that it has these creepy eyes that shine behind its visor." He shivered.

Riun frowned, though fear glittered in his eyes. "Y-you're just trying to scare me."

The one Keyblader laughed. "Ha. I wish." He lifted up one side of his shirt, revealing a nasty scar. "I got this from one of the Knight's attacks. Was knocked unconscious, luckily; it kept that thing's attention away from me. When I woke up, I heard all about it from the other Keybladers. They said Master Tollun did a real good job warding it off."

"I heard that story!" another Keyblader added. "He was able to fight off the monster when the others couldn't. He was a real hero!"

Riun crossed his arms. _When the others couldn't…?_ "I think he's tricking everyone."

The Keybladers sent angry glares in his direction. "What?"

He felt nervous under their harsh glares, but stood his ground. "Well, it seems weird that he could beat it alone, right? I think he's controlling it to make himself more popular."

The Keybladers reeled back, seemingly troubled by his logic. Then the one who'd shoved him in hear glared at him. "You're wrong. He'd never do that." With that, he and his companions left the room, slamming the door behind him and leaving Riun in darkness.

**Gillick **had woken up early to make sure he got back to the cart before it left. Now, he was riding along inside it once more. His eyes were closed; he had nothing better to do besides rest, and wait for the cart to reach a town.

Eventually, he felt the vessel come to a sudden halt. _Finally, _he thought. He was about to slip out of the back when he heard the voice of the driver ask in surprise, "What happened here?"

He heard another voice respond. "The Knight attacked. We're going to have a lot of rebuilding to do."

The merchant cart-driver sighed. "I suppose I'll take my wares to the next town, then."

Gillick sat back as the cart began to move forward, eyes watching through the opening. He narrowed his eyes at the broken buildings. _The destruction here doesn't seem to be as bad as other Knight attacks._ He felt a twinge in his side, and reached a hand up to hold it.

He wondered again if Silver, his quarry, was really the Knight. _If she is,_ he thought, _then it might be a good idea to stay here, and see if she comes back._ He slipped out of the back of the cart, rolling to soften his fall. He felt small pricks of pain at the action, but was otherwise unharmed.

He slowly stood, eyes scanning the streets. _Ok…now, to find a place to stay,_ he thought. His eyes slowly widened in recognition. _This…this is where…_

"Well, if it isn't the infamous Gillick Nogard."

The voice caught him off guard. Slowly, he turned around to see a young woman standing before him. "Who who are?"

"No one you know," the woman replied, "but I am _related_ to someone you know."

He snorted. "I don't have time for games," he growled, trying to stalk away.

"Wait." He jerked to a stop as she caught his arm. "You need a place to stay, right? You can stay with me."

He blinked a few times in surprise. All he could say was, "What the hell…?"

"I owe you," she replied simply, tugging him along.

"_How_ do you owe me?" he asked, and added silently, _And what exactly are you planning to do to me?_

She halted abruptly, causing him to almost run into her. "You…saved my father's life." She paused, then continued, "You could have killed him, but…you let him go."

Gillick stiffened. "You're…?"

She nodded. "I…know what he ended up doing to you in return for your mercy. So, I figured I should repay you for the wrong you suffered…since he never will."

He was still somewhat baffled by this turn of events. "Um…thanks?"

She suddenly spun around. "Now, listen, I don't know much about you, so here are the ground rules: No flirting with me-" _Why the hell would I waste my time? _"-and be nice to my husband and kids."

He nodded. "Ok…" She tugged him along again, and his wounds protested. "If you _insist_ on having me as your guest," he growled, "then you need to go slower."

"Huh? Why?" He indicated the wounds - now bandage-less - with a scowl. She smiled, which only caused his scowl to deepen. "Well, don't worry. We'll get those patched up."

_I'm putting traps around my room,_ he decided as he followed. However, his mind was more focused on the memory this town and this woman's words had brought to the forefront of his mind. It was only a few weeks after he'd defected to the Dark Army…

And it was a lesson he'd never forget.

"_**Please**__, don't kill me."_

_Gillick looked down at the man who cowered before him, Keyblade pointed at his chest. His weapon, like his armor, had changed with his shift of allegiance. It was now a deep black in color, with the shaft designed to look like bat wings. The teeth had a slightly different, though still archaic design, and the shaft was now composed of three chains. The Keychain was still a dragon, though this time it was arched up into an attacking position._

_He frowned as he looked down at the man. This man had stolen from the Dark Army, and killed the person holding the item. He'd been given orders to hunt the man down, take the item back, and kill him. The order had come directly from Viril, meaning that disobeying it would be extremely dangerous._

_He pushed the tip of his Keyblade against the man's skin as he tried to escape, mind still a whirlwind of thought. This man had done something bad, true…but did that really mean he had to kill him? He wondered if the same order would've been given by the Light Army…_

_Gillick shook his head. As he'd been told many times since joining the Dark Army, this wasn't going to be anything like the Light Army. Even though they played by similar rules, there were a few key differences._

I belong to the Dark Army. I belong to the Dark Army.

_While Gillick repeated his silent mantra - it was an attempt to adjust him to the fact that his loyalties had shifted - another reason to spare the man rose in his mind:_

_He'd never killed before._

_He'd seen plenty of death, sure; in fact, he'd seen several other Keybladers perform the deed. However, he was hesitant to do it himself._

_The man was still looking at him with fear glittering in his eyes. With a sigh, Gillick release his Keyblade. "Fine."_

"_Th-thank you! Thank you!" the man cried, beginning to scurry away._

"_Hold it." The man froze. "You have something; something that belongs to the Dark Army."_

"_Yeah," the man replied slowly, turning to look back at the young Keyblader with wide eyes._

_Gillick extended a hand. "I'll need it back."_

"_O-of course. Here, take it." The man threw a small object towards him._

_He caught it easily with one hand. "Now get out of here." The man was quick to comply._

_Gillick sighed, looking down at the object in his hand. He guessed it was wanted for its price value, since it didn't seem to have any particular use. He slipped the item away and headed back to the Dark Army base._

_Despite his change in allegiance, he found that he couldn't create Corridors of Darkness. So, instead, he was forced to trek to the nearest hidden base. By the time he got there, he was exhausted, and ready for a good long rest. So he was surprised to be met at the door by two stern-faced Keybladers. "Come with us, Gillick," one said._

"_Why?" Gillick asked, immediately feeling suspicious._

"_Viril wants you."_

_He remembered the trinket he'd been sent to get, and silently berated himself for being so stupid. "Right," he replied, following the two Keybladers. He couldn't help wondering, though, why he was getting an escort. It was almost like they were afraid he was going to escape…_

_Viril sat in the back of a large room. Gillick frowned to see many other Keybladers gathered around the edges. As the three entered, the leader of the Dark Army stood, walking towards the young boy, who was quickly left alone in the middle of the room, with his hands behind his back. "Do you have the item?"_

"_Yeah," Gillick replied, trying hard to keep the confusion and suspicion out of his voice. He drew out the item and proffered it to Viril._

_The dark man took it with one hand. Behind his bangs, the glimmer of a red eye could just be seen. "And the man? Did you kill him?"_

_He figured it was safer to lie. "Yeah."_

"_Really?" As Viril spoke, a figure slunk into the light. Gillick gaped in open-mouthed surprise. The man he'd spared stood in the back. "He revealed what you did, in exchange for his life."_

"_So I let him live," Gillick protested. "What's wrong with that?"_

"_He killed someone," Viril snarled, "and it was your job to issue the punishment." He paused, then continued. "I gave you a direct order to kill him." He pulled his other hand out from behind his back quickly, revealing a whip. He jerked the weapon upwards, uncoiling it in the same instant. "And when I give you an order, you obey!"_

_Gillick stumbled a few steps backwards, reaching a hand up frantically towards his armor. However, he wasn't quick enough. The whip hit him with a crack, and he let out a yelp of pain. The whip rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell, cutting into him and leaving bloody furrows along his body. He fell to his knees, his hands wrapped around him, as the whip continued to strike. His lifted his amber eyes slowly, fixing them on the man in the back. His gaze was cold, and he felt his heart hardening with each strike of the whip. Next time, he would not hesitate to kill. Next time, he'd know better than to trust._

**Trevor** looked at the assassin. She'd slipped in silently, nearly scaring him out of his skin. "So, who do you want dead?"

"Master Tollun," he said, a subtly hint that it wasn't his idea, "wants you to kill a man named Gillick Nogard."

"Going to need a bit more than a name, hun."

He snorted, and handed over a picture. "This should work, I think."

The assassin scanned over the image, her eyes glittering with excitement. "Is he any good at fighting?"

"Yes." _But he's hurt right now._

She laughed. Trevor shivered at the sound. "Perfect." She slid the paper into a pocket. She grinned wickedly at him as she pulled up her hood. "This should be fun. I'll expect the rest of my pay when I bring you his body."

"O-of course," Trevor forced out, though his heart protested. When the assassin had left, he quickly turned and left, his heart heavy and tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter seventeen. Review, please?<em>


	18. Battle of Blood

_This is chapter eighteen. Thank you DaniPotterLovesGod, Classic Rock and Keyblades, Kamen Rider Ebon, Grim Reaper Kid, caitlinkeitorin, and kiyohunter for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Eighteen: Battle of Blood**

Gillick's eye twitched. "Almost done," the girl who'd allowed him to stay in her house said. As she'd said, she'd put some sort of ointment on his wounds, and was now busily wrapping him in bandages.

She finally stepped away, her hands on her hips as she looked over the coverings. "There. That should do it."

"Great." He began to get up, but pain started spreading immediately from his wounds. His breath hissed out from between his teeth, and he fell back down.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't move; you'll just strain yourself. Lie down and rest. The wounds will heal, but you'll need to give them time."

After the events at the Light Army base, he didn't feel compelled to argue. "Fine," he growled, falling back onto the bed. The woman smiled, then turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Gillick stared absently up at the ceiling. Slowly, with nothing else to do, he drifted off into sleep.

_**A few **__years went by. And, as they passed, Gillick noticed that there weren't as many differences between the Light and Dark armies as he'd first thought. Though they used two opposing elements, both sides were filled with Keybladers who wanted nothing but their own personal gain. He turned a blind eye to whatever seemed good; he had trouble believing it._

_To say Viril was the same as Tollun, however, would only be half true. It was true that neither were as concerned for other's safety as they pretended to be; they were more concerned for their own goals. However, while Tollun had wanted fame and honor, Viril wanted something much more simple: revenge. Some Keybladers from the Light Army had done something to him when he was very young; Gillick never found out what. However, the event had left the man with a burning hatred for anyone who chose the power of light over darkness. And he wouldn't rest until everyone who opposed him was dead._

_Gillick felt as conflicted as he did in the Light Army. There were things going on that he didn't like, and he wanted out. However, like before, there was something to keep him tethered to the army. This time, it was not family, however; this time, it was the fact that he'd been a Keyblader all his life. Where would he go…what would he do…without and army to align himself with? Much as he hated to admit it…the thought scared him._

"_Oh, Gillick," a voice called tauntingly from his doorway._

_The boy closed his amber eyes in frustration. "What the hell do you want, Xuren?"_

_He turned to face the man. Xuren: a sadistic, somewhat insane Keyblader who was, oddly, one of Viril's favorites. The man had a wicked grin plastered on his face, his eyes flickering. "Oh, it's not what _I_ want," he replied. "It's what Viril wants."_

_Gillick snorted, and pushed past him and headed down the hall without giving the man another glance. To his annoyance, Xuren followed quickly behind. "Why are you following me?"_

"_Viril wants me to come, too." _

_Gillick's eyes twitched. _Shit, don't tell me I have to do a mission with-_ the thought was cut off when he reached the door that led to the large 'throne room' that was where Viril usually met with other members of the Dark Army. As Gillick pushed open the door, Viril's head lifted. As usual, his eyes were hidden. "Gillick. I have a task for you."_

_He felt a small twinge of relief at the fact that he hadn't said 'Gillick and Xuren', but couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sense of suspicion at why he'd asked the other Keyblader to come if he wasn't included. "And what is it?"_

_Viril's fingers curled tighter around the armrests of his 'throne.' "Your tone…are you…discontent…with what the Dark Army has offered you? Are you…thinking of leaving?"_

_His careful, slow choice of words - and the words themselves - sent a stab of panic flaring through him. "No! I…I'm loyal to the Dark Army." The words tasted bitter, but he didn't know what else to do._

_Viril nodded slowly. "Then prove it. There's a warrior of the Light Army coming this way. He's been sent as a spy, to try and infiltrate our defenses so he can bring other scum of the light in here to destroy us. Find him first, and kill him." Gillick nodded; after the first incident, a few years ago, killing was no longer any problem for him. "Then go."_

_The black-haired Keyblader turned and left. As he did, he noticed Xuren's yellow eyes were following him with manic glee. A shiver ran up his spine, and he hurried forward at a faster pace._

_Once outside the Dark Army fortress, he began ranging out, looking for clues as to where the Light Army Keyblader would be coming from. This would be the hardest part; trying to intercept the Keyblader before he could reach the base. He figured that, since he was already heading in this direction, it didn't matter if he saw the base or not. Besides, the fortress was built into a cliff face; it'd be hard to miss. _Perhaps a trap, _he considered, summoning his Keyblade._

_He froze when he saw a figure off in the distance. He didn't stop to think; he jumped off the rock he'd positioned himself on and skidded down the mountainside. When he made it to the ground, he dashed across the open ground towards where he'd seen the figure._

_As he drew closer, the person finally noticed the assailant running towards him. Obviously realizing he'd been discovered, he turned and fled. Gillick smirked. _You're really going to draw out your own death?_ He continued forward._

_Though he was fast, it wasn't until the fortress was out of sight and he was panting that he was close enough to launch a spell. It hit the other's shoulder, sending him reeling with a cry._

_When he got a good look at his opponent, Gillick's blood ran cold. It'd been years, but…he knew this boy._

_He watched in frozen horror as, slowly, the opposing Keyblader pushed himself up and turned to glare at him. The shock in his brother's eyes mirrored his own. "Gillick?"_

"_Trevor," he whispered, shaking. A cold sweat had started. It couldn't be, it couldn't be, it couldn't be… "Why are you here?" One last attempt; one last hope for a denial._

_Then he answered, and all his hopes came crashing down. "I'm stopping the Dark Army." Trevor's blue eyes met Gillick's amber one's; the younger boy's gleamed with betrayal, while the older's gleamed with horror. "Stopping you."_

_Gillick took a pace back. His hands shook, and he tightened his grip on his Keyblade. "No," he murmured. "No, no, NO! Anyone else. Why couldn't it have been someone else?"_

"_What?" Trevor asked. His words had been spoken too quietly for him to hear._

I have to kill…my brother. Or I'll lose everything. _He felt numb; he hardly realized when he spoke up. The words sounded disconnected, as if they were spoken by some other person, in some other place. "How do you plan on doing that?"_

_Trevor looked up at him. Pain and betrayal flickered in his eyes, but he reached up and slammed a fist into the armor panel on his shoulder. "For the Light Army," he whispered, almost too quiet for Gillick to hear, as his armor formed around him. Then he lunged forward, summoning his Keyblade._

_Gillick was able to snap himself back into reality in time to block his brother's blow. He was able to force him backwards, causing him to stumble, and giving him enough time to activate his own armor. Then Trevor lunged at him once more, and the fight was on._

_Gillick rolled away from his brother's strike. For a few moments, the pulse of battle overrode his dismay, and he immediately launched himself forward into a counterstrike. Trevor didn't have time to block the oncoming Keyblade with his own, though his armor took the brunt of the damage. Gillick allowed a few more strikes before jumping back. He lifted his Keyblade, beginning to form a fireball at its tip._

_Then he froze. _But…but I…_ The fire at the end of his weapon guttered and died._

_By that time Trevor had regained his footing and was dashing towards him, his body held low. Gillick sidestepped, but his younger sibling proved that he had speed on his side, as well; he was able to quickly turn and slash at his brother, hitting his leg with enough force to cause him to fall. He quickly rolled backwards, both to return his body to a standing position and to avoid Trevor's next strike._

_He shook his head, trying to clear it. _You have to kill him! _he hissed to himself. _Do you really want to suffer the consequences if you don't? Besides, he's not holding back for _his _army! _He took a deep breath, then lunged forward._

_This time, Trevor was watching him, and quickly lifted his Keyblade to block. Instead of a head-on strike, Gillick did a double feint, confusing his younger sibling, before slipping around the side he'd originally appeared to be heading towards. He made it behind him and struck him across the back before he had time to react. Trevor staggered forward, but was able to catch himself before he fell. Gillick didn't let up, however; he ignored the painful pounding of his heart, and continued to strike on his brother's back._

_Finally, Trevor was knocked over into the dirt. Gillick raised his Keyblade for one more blow; it would knock him out, and he could finish him easily. The thought froze him, and his chest constricted. He closed his eyes tightly behind his visor, breathing hard, as he tried to force out memories of when the two of them were younger._

_As before, he hesitated too long; Trevor was able to roll onto his back and lunge upwards. He slammed into Gillick's stomach, knocking the breath out of him. He landed a few blows before jumping back and shooting a Thunder spell. Gillick jerked as the spell raced through his body, pain burning in his blood and chips flying off his armor._

Coward, _he growled at himself. _You're too scared to kill him._ He steeled himself, and summoned magic up to the tip of his own Keyblade. He lifted the weapon and fired several consecutive Fira spells. The younger boy quickly lifted his Keyblade to block them, but his attempts proved futile when several slipped past his defenses and collided with his armor. Though the defensive covering could protect him from the direct damage of the magic, the armor itself would still heat up, virtually cooking the boy inside it. Gillick dashed forward, Keyblade coated in ice. It was time to…cool him down a bit._

_His weapon struck Trevor's chest protector with powerful force. Both the force of the blow and the sudden cold caused part of the armor to crack. Gillick struck again. The cracks on the armor spread some more, chips flying. Then he struck on Trevor's side, sending the boy flying and causing more cracks to lance along the armor._

_Trevor recovered quickly. He ducked into a roll as he hit the ground, allowing him to quickly regain his feet and spin back around to face his brother. He wasted no time in firing a Blizzaga spell. Gillick slipped to the side, but wasn't able to escape the full brunt of the attack. His left side stung where the cold had leaked through his armor._

_Pain caused fury; fury caused retaliation. He swung his Keyblade, sending an arc of dark wind flying without stopping to think. Trevor slammed the tip of his Keyblade into the ground, allowing him to withstand the blow, though not without losing a few more pieces to his armor. Then he jerked his Keyblade back out of the ground, sending an arrow of light flying from it's tip towards his brother. It was too fast for him to dodge, and he was forced to endure it as it caused a few more pieces of his own armor to fall off._

_For several moments, the two brothers stood still, panting and staring at each other. Gillick's confliction about killing his brother once again resurfaced. He knew that he had to, but…he was his _brother_. Could he really do it? It didn't seem the same as killing all those others. He hadn't known them; they'd wronged him or the Dark Army; his conscience had stopped bothering him about it. But this…this was different. He laughed humorlessly. He wondered what his brother was thinking now, and if he was having similar thoughts about the whole situation._

_Trevor heard his laugh. "What's so funny?" he hissed._

"_Nothing," Gillick replied bitterly. "Absolutely nothing." His left hand tightened into a fist, his right simply gripping his weapon harder. _I have no choice. _He jumped forward._

_Trevor moved to meet him. Their weapons collided in a shower of sparks. In close proximity, they could see through the tinted visors of the helmets. Their gazes met. The light of battle and the pain of having to fight each other glimmered in equal measures in both of their eyes. But neither was willing to give up._

_They jumped apart, then suddenly dashed forward once more. Their Keyblades clashed for a few moments. Trevor suddenly spun around, his Keyblade coated with fire, and struck at Gillick's helmet._

_His world was suddenly spinning. He staggered a few paces backwards, trying to focus both his mind and vision. However, Trevor ran at him with an Aero spell before he had the chance._

_Gillick was sent flying backwards, his helmet coming off in the process. His back hit the ground with such force that he bounced back off the ground, flipping over to land on his stomach. He tried to stand, but he was still disoriented from the blows Trevor had landed._

_Suddenly a wave of light was flying towards him. It hit him, causing him to skid backwards several more paces, and causing pain to pulse through his body; his armor wasn't enough protection._

_He acted purely on instinct. His lifted his weapon, and sent a barrage of dark blasts flying towards his younger brother. Like with the Fira spells, his brother was able to block some, but not all, of the attacks. He began firing off random spells, stalling until his head cleared. Trevor valiantly tried to block the attacks and counterattack with magic of his own, but was unable to keep up._

_His head finally stopped spinning. Then he lunged._

_Trevor, like Gillick had been before, was disoriented from the force of the spells. But he was in much greater pain. When Gillick came to strike him, he didn't have time to react. His brother's Keyblade struck his helmet, sending it flying off. He fell backwards, unmoving._

_Gillick stood over him for a few moments. Was he dead? No, still breathing. Just unconscious. He slowly lifted his Keyblade, holding it with two shaking hands as he prepared to impale the younger boy and end the fight._

_He began to bring the weapon down, but stopped. It wasn't just his hands that were shaking now; it was his entire body. His breaths were ragged. He looked at his brother's face, and he couldn't help the memories…_

Gil, play with me!

Thanks for saving me, big brother.

I won't cry. I-I'll be tough.

G-Gillick.

Stop it, _he hissed to himself. His closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing and his hands._

_But he still couldn't bring the Keyblade down._

_He lifted his head and let out a cry of frustration. "I can't do it!" He fell to his knees. "I can't kill him." Still shaking, he lifted his Keyblade and pointed it towards the sky. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He was going to lose…everything._

_But the Dark Army might never know. After all, they weren't here. The base couldn't even be seen from this distance. All he had to do was lie…and he'd be safe. He lowered his head. "Flare," he whispered. The spell shot from the tip of his Keyblade, flying into the air and bursting. The Light Army warriors he was sure were coming would see the signal, and come to get their fallen ally. Slowly, he stood, dispelled his armor and Keyblade, and began heading back to the Dark Army fortress._

_A voice spoke up after he'd walked some distance. "Well, well, why so glum?"_

_Gillick turned burning amber eyes towards Xuren. "Why are you here?" he snarled._

"_I just wanted to know if you killed the boy."_

"_Yeah," Gillick replied, looking away and continuing forward._

"_Really? Even though he was your brother?"_

_Gillick froze. Then, with a snarl, he summoned his Keyblade and lunged for the man. The man quickly summoned his own to block the blow. "You knew!" he spat, amber eyes blazing._

_Xuren laughed. "Of course I knew," he replied. He forced Gillick back, causing him to stumble. "That was Viril's test of loyalty; if you could kill your own brother for the sake of the Dark Army, you were truly on our side. And he sent me," and here he produced a wicked grin, "to watch you in secret."_

_Gillick's blood ran cold. But, how did…? He'd had no idea he'd been followed. Or watched, for that matter. And, if he saw everything, then…_

"_You lied." Gillick's eyes narrowed into a glare. If he was going to go down, it wasn't going to be without a fight. However, his inexperience compared to Xuren and the fact that he'd just finished fighting Trevor put him at a disadvantage._

_Xuren lunged forward. Gillick quickly raised his Keyblade to block. He managed to ward off a few blows before the dark man broke through his defenses. He struck his chest, sending him stumbling backwards._

_His spells hadn't recharged yet, and he didn't have the energy to fight back with his Keyblade. So that left defense. He quickly reached up to the panel on his shoulder, trying to activate his armor._

_A Thundaga spell suddenly lanced through him, causing him to cry out in pain. He dropped his Keyblade, the weapon fading away, as he fell to the ground. He was barely conscious as Xuren stalked up to him. "The greatest dishonor for a Keyblader," he hissed, eyes glinting, "is to loose their armor." He reached down and pulled the armor plate off of Gillick's shoulder. "So go out into the world, armor-less, and live your shame."_

_He walked away. Gillick could only watch him go until he fell into unconsciousness._

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter eighteen. Not a side of Gillick seen very often, huh? Feel free to review. <em>


	19. Choices

_Here is chapter nineteen. Thank you Grim Reaper Kid, caitlinkeitorin, and kiyohunter for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Nineteen: Choices **

Mala chewed her lips as she paced around the empty barracks. It'd been a couple of days since she'd helped Gillick escape, and ever since she'd been thinking about what Tollun had said. Send an assassin after Gillick? She sighed heavily. She knew Trevor hadn't disobeyed the order from the expression he'd worn since receiving the order. But it was hard to believe he'd actually done it.

She felt guilt gnaw at her conscience. She knew about the assassin, so she _could_ try and track down Gillick and warn him. After all, what was the point of saving him if he was just going to be killed anyways?

She stopped, shaking her head abruptly. No, she couldn't do that; the leader of the Light Army knew what he was doing. If he thought Gillick was becoming a threat, well…truth be told, it wasn't that surprising. Besides, she didn't even like him; he'd even stated that himself.

She heaved another sigh and restarted her pacing.

Of course, Gillick wasn't her only problem right now. There was also the matter of Riun. Last she knew, he was being confined in one of the many rooms in the massive fortress, and was being kept tightly under guard. For a relatively harmless kid, the actions seemed pointless. She supposed…Tollun could think he was a Dark Army spy…but, to Mala, that seemed unlikely.

But then again, how much did she really know about this boy? She'd traveled with him for a while, sure, but he could still have hidden motives…

She stopped pacing, hanging her head. She was a thief; thieves were supposed to be clever. They had to be able to figure out various different things that could happen, and prepare for them. Yet, right now, this ability seemed to be more of a hindrance than an aid.

The sound of footsteps sounded behind her, and she whipped around to see Trevor walking in. "There you are," he commented. His voice sounded almost normal, except for the undercurrent of depression running through his voice. "Most of us are in the Dining Hall, you know."

"I know," she replied quietly. "I just…didn't really feel like going."

Trevor sighed. "Probably not a good idea. Come on." He turned on his heels and left.

Mala remained where she was for a few seconds, thinking. Should she go? She'd rather stay here and think, but…well, it didn't seem to be getting her anywhere. Besides, this would give her a chance to get to know the Light Army Keybladers better. She turned and walked slowly out the door.

Trevor obviously had decided not to wait up for her. Since she'd spent so much time exploring the base, she didn't mind too much. Her footsteps echoed softly off the stone floor as she made her way towards the Dining Hall.

Upon entering, however, she began to regret her decision. The room was filled with people and noise. Instinct told her to slink into the shadows and stay out of view. She had to remind herself that she was working with the Light Army now, and that she had nothing to fear from these Keybladers. Taking a deep breath, she made her way towards one of the tables.

A Keyblader looked up at her as she sat down. "Hey, you're that non-Keyblader recruit, right?"

"Yep," she replied, trying to calm her nerves. She extended a hand with a smile. "I'm Mala."

The Keyblader took her proffered hand and gave it a small shake, returning the uneasy smile. "Kale."

And that was about where their conversation ended. Mala wasn't sure whether she preferred the silence or not. She slowly ate the food placed before her, trying to ignore the awkwardness she was feeling.

"The Dark Army!"

Heads all around the Dining Hall shot up at the words. Mala looked around for who'd been shouting them, her eyes finally landing on a person panting in the doorway. One of the Keybladers stood. "What about the Dark Army? What's going on?"

The other Keyblader took a deep breath. "It's…coming here," he panted, leaning against the doorway.

"What?"

"I…saw them…on the horizon."

Another one of the Keybladers stalked forward and picked up a small human. "This is your doing," she hissed, holding him by the collar of his shirt.

Mala's heart lurched as she saw who it was. _Riun._ She hadn't even realized they'd brought him in.

The boy was looking at the Keyblader in confusion and fear. "What?" he asked, voice shaking slightly.

"Don't play dumb," the Keyblader hissed. "We all know you're a spy for the Dark Army."

Someone else put a hand on the antagonistic Keyblader's shoulder. "Calm down. We don't know that."

"And, in any case, that's the least of our worries."

Mala jerked her head back around at the sound of Tollun's voice. His eyes were flowing over the assembled Keybladers, aiding to his already-commanding presence. "What do you want us to do, Master Tollun?" Trevor asked, standing slowly.

"We'll meet them before they reach us," Tollun replied calmly. "Then we'll send them back where they came from!" There were cheers from the assembled Keybladers before they began filing out of the Dining Hall. Mala wanted to reach Riun, but was unable to through the current of people.

It didn't take long for her to be pulled outside. The Keybladers spread out as they made their way down the mountainside, allowing her more freedom of movement. She looked around, trying desperately to find Riun. She didn't like that his loyalties were with the Dark Army, but…she couldn't honestly make herself believe he was a spy.

Trevor found her before she could find Riun. "You nervous?"

She shrugged. "No." It was a lie, but she had other things she needed to worry about besides Trevor.

He snorted, amusement sparkling in his eyes as if he recognized that she wasn't being truthful. "Good." He turned his head away from her, and back towards the dark mass that was approaching them on the horizon. "When you're fighting for the sake of the Light Army, it's not good to be scared."

His words made her remember something else. "Is that why you sent the assassin after Gillick? For the sake of the Light Army?"

He wouldn't meet her gaze. "Yes."

"But…don't you feel any regret?" she asked.

"Of course I do."

"Then…why obey the order…?"

He sighed heavily. "I belong to the Light Army. I can't disobey the order; it would mean I was being disloyal." His eyes grew darker. "That's how I got promoted to general, you know; I was willing to fight and try to kill my brother for my army."

"But why did you have to-"

"Come on, we should get moving," Trevor interrupted. He hurried forward through the mob of Keybladers.

Mala, however, stopped where she was. She thought about what the young general had said with a heavy heart. She admired his loyalty; it would be hard for her to do something like that, even for the Light Army. And it made her wonder all the more about what she should do.

She tried to shake off her worries. _Gillick…Gillick will be fine. He's a good fighter._ But she couldn't help remembering the wounds he'd had. He'd had no choice but to ask for help, which was something he seemed reluctant to do. _And…the Light Army wouldn't hurt Riun. He's just a little kid, after all._ But the way he was being treated made her feel nervous.

She shook her head forcefully and hurried forward.

The approaching members of the Dark Army slowed and stopped as the Light Army neared. Mala pulled her bow off her back, knocking an arrow in preparation. She scanned the ranks of the Dark Army, noticing how small they seemed compared to the much larger group of Light Army Keybladers. She frowned. Why send such a small group…?

She froze, an idea suddenly blazing into her mind. What if they were just the frontrunners for an ambush. She remained where she was while the other members of the Light Army continued forward, looking over her shoulder and watching for any sign of an attack from behind.

Voices drifted towards her from where the two armies stood. She slowly shifted her gaze so that she could see what was happening down below her. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she could still see their actions. Tollun was talking to an unfamiliar member of the Dark Army. For the moment, they seemed calm.

A movement caught her eye. She whipped her head around, lifting her bow instinctively. When she noticed nothing, she slowly lowered her weapon, turning her attention back to the Keybladers below her.

Tollun seemed to be growing angry. The Dark Army Keyblader, however, still seemed calm. Hoping to get a better idea of what was being said, Mala let her gaze travel over some of the other Keybladers of the Light Army.

Her blood ran cold when she saw a small figure standing in amongst their ranks, guarded on both sides by stern looking Keybladers. Riun! Why did they bring him here? Didn't they realize it was dangerous to bring a little kid onto potential battle ground.

Her ears perked up at the sound of rattling stones. She whipped around, this time managing to catch a glimpse of someone dashing for cover. Her reflexes acted before her mind did; her arms jerked her bow up and sent an arrow flying. The projectile missed, but it was enough to startle the person out of hiding. She could see armor glinting in the light of the sun. "Ambush!" she called, stringing another arrow and sending it flying.

She wasn't sure whether it was her words or her actions that caused the Keybladers to spring into action. All she knew was that the formerly calm terrain was suddenly filled with the sounds of battle. She sent arrows flying towards assailants now plunging down the mountainside. She grinned as her injured opponents fell to her flying projectiles. She knew it wouldn't be long before she ran out of ammunition, but she also knew there were still more Light Army Keybladers here than Dark Army; this battle wouldn't last for too long.

That thought, however, made her feel a pang of nervousness. When the battle was over, the first person they'd probably blame for the ambush was Riun. Who knew what they'd do to him afterwards? She glanced over her shoulder towards the fighting below her. _If he survives._

She was forced to return her attention to the forces coming down on top of her. As she shot an arrow, she couldn't help feeling a returning sense of guilt at the fact that she wasn't doing anything to protect Gillick from the assassin. _Why should I care?_ she hissed silently, releasing her second-to-last arrow. _It's not like he does._

But she did want to protect Riun. And, if anyone could keep him safe from the Light Army, much as she hated to admit it, it was him.

Light Army Keybladers had joined her in fighting the enemies on the sloping mountainside. If she wanted to save Riun, now was the time. Mala took a deep breath, feeling her heart squeeze. _I'm sorry, Trevor; I'm not as loyal as you._ She turned and dashed down the slope, lifting her voice to call out, "Riun!"

The battle surging before her caused her to stop short. This wasn't like the ambush, where she could pick off enemies before they reached her. If she wanted to find Riun…she was going to have to go into the thick of the fighting. "Riun!" she called, taking a step forward. Then a Keyblader bumped into her, and she fell to the ground.

Her courage was quickly deserting her. She couldn't go into a battle like that! She had to run…had to get out before she was killed…

She was about to turn and flee when she heard a familiar voice. "Mala!"

She whipped her head around, relief blazing through her. "Riun!" she cried as he dashed towards her.

"The battle started," he panted, "and then, all of a sudden, I was surrounded and being pushing around everywhere." He was shaking, and his eyes betrayed his fear.

"Don't worry," she whispered to him, trying to master her own fear. "The two of us are going to get out of this battle. Then we're going to get back up to the fortress and find your Chocobo. We'll get out of here on that, and go to find Gillick."

Riun nodded, his lip quivering slightly. "Ok."

Mala pulled out her last arrow, stringing it on her bow, and gestured for Riun to climb up on her back. He did so without complaint. She stood slowly, and then hurried more quickly off towards the fortress.

By now, the area behind her had become nearly as big a battlefield as the one behind her. She held her breath, trying to ignore the fighting around her as she pushed forward. _Just focus on the fortress…focus on the fortress…_

A figure suddenly loomed in front of her. She yelped and, without thinking, loosed her arrow. The weapon imbedded itself in the woman's shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain. Mala didn't waste to opportunity; she hurried forward, finally breaking free of the fighting mob.

She didn't look back, despite how much her heart was aching. This was the choice she'd made, and she couldn't go back now.

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><p><em>And there's the end of chapter nineteen. Review?<em>


	20. Leave the Past Behind

_This is chapter twenty. Thank you Grim Reaper Kid, Eddie Camp, and Thaumaturgic Adversary for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty: Leave the Past Behind**

Gillick twitched, eyes looking out the window and straining to see into the night. "I need to go," he muttered. He'd been lying in bed too long. So what if he was still injured? He still had a job to do. He _would_ catch Silver…but he had to get out of this house to do it first.

His eyes shifted towards the door. The problem arose in the fact that earlier he'd been in too much pain to resist. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut at the memory of how Mala had had to help him get out of the Light Army's base. _But that's passed,_ he reminded himself silently, trying to forget the painful blow to his pride.

Slowly, he moved his arms, his legs, his hands, testing each part of his body and each motion. He grimaced as he felt pain still flowing through his body. But though he was stiff and sore, he wasn't in nearly as much pain as he was before. He figured it'd be Ok for him to search for Silver again, though getting into a fight along the way would cause problems.

A little voice in the back of his mind hissed that if he used magic, then he'd be able to heal at a faster rate. But using magic would mean he'd have to summon his Keyblade. _No way,_ he growled silently. He looked to where his sword rested by the bed. He slowly reached over and grabbed it, hand wrapped tightly around its hilt. He slowly pulled it partially out of its scabbard, allowing one rune to glimmer in the pale candle light. _I swore I'd never use the Keyblade again. It causes nothing but trouble._

After a few moments, the former Keyblader returned his sword to where it had been. _I'll leave come morning._

**Thunder **rattled the small house, jerking Gillick back to awareness. He blinked a few times, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. He shifted his head to glance out the window. Rain pounded down outside, causing an incessant clamor. He snorted. _I hope it clears up by morning, _he thought, frustrated.

Lightning flashed outside, spilling a pale glow into the room. A faint shadow shifted back towards the wall, out of the lightning's glow.

Gillick rolled out of his bed in an instant, grabbing his scabbard and swinging his sword out simultaneously. "Who's there?" he growled, crouched low and watching where he'd last seen the shadow.

He heard a quite sound behind him. He whipped around immediately, wincing slightly at some spikes of pain. His sword came into contact with a throwing knife, which fell away and clattered against the ground.

Every sense was suddenly on alert. _Who's here? Who's attacking me?_ He kept low, trying to make himself as small a target as possible. He blinked his eyes several times, the amber orbs slowly adjusting to the gloom.

A harsh laugh echoed around the room. "Very good," a female voice hissed in mocking amusement. "Most people don't figure out I'm there until they're already dead." He whipped around, eyes flickering as he tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. "But then, I suppose you _did_ have the storm to help you out."

Lightning flashed again, allowing him just enough light to see a shadow flashing towards him. He quickly lifted his sword. The assailant's dagger collided with his weapon as the light faded. He quickly kicked out his legs, trying to pull his opponent's out from under her. He saw faint movement in the darkness, and, when he failed to connect with anything, he realized she'd jumped over his attack.

Gillick whipped around, trying to pick out his opponent's movements in the deep shadows. Even though his eyes had adjusted to the night, it was hard to make out the gray shape in the din. He saw something lunge for him and swung out his sword. The assassin was quick, because she was easily able to avoid his strike and aim for his stomach instead. Still hanging low, he was able to turn his body in time to allow his shoulder to take the blow instead. He saw a few small shadows fly towards him. He was able to just lift his sword in time to block. He smelled something faint, and a shudder ran through him. _Poison._ The dagger she was carrying wasn't coated, but apparently some of her smaller weapons were. He'd have to be careful.

"That's quite an interesting sword," he heard her voice hiss. "Where'd you get it?"

He wasn't surprised when she struck from a different direction than where her voice came from, though he almost missed the shadow flitting towards him. When her dagger struck his sword, she quickly jumped back, out of his range. "What's it to you?"

"I just like to know something about the trophies I get from my prey." He shifted slightly, eyes narrowed as he tried to see where she'd come from next. There was a thud nearby. He glanced to his side and saw that a throwing knife was stuck in the wooden floor not far from where he was. If he hadn't shifted…that would've struck home. It was only by chance he'd escaped that time.

"My turn to ask questions," he hissed, hoping that if he could get her talking it'd be easier to figure out where she was. "Who sent you?"

"What's it to you?"

He was startled by the proximity of her voice. Gillick ducked and rolled to the side. Even so, he still felt the assassin's dagger scratch his cheek. He inhaled deeply, relieved not to smell poison.

"Gillick?"

He froze at the voice. The girl who'd brought him here…_Shit._

The assassin snickered in the darkness. "Well, well, someone else has been alerted to my presence. Perhaps I should silence her, too."

The door slowly opened, spilling in the glow of candle light. "No! Go back!" Gillick cried in alarm. The assassin lunged for the young woman as she appeared in the doorway. Gillick jumped after her, managing to grab the assassin and pull her back.

The assassin struggled against him, obviously caught off guard. "Let me go!" she barked in anger.

"Run!" he told the startled girl in the doorway. She didn't hesitate to oblige.

He felt splitting pain in his side as the assassin stabbed him with her dagger. He released her, and she immediately whipped around to try and stab him in the heart. He was able to shift away in time, though he didn't escape injury completely. He gritted his teeth as the weapon slashed across his shoulder.

He knew he couldn't fight her. The darkness was her element, and he was still in too bad a shape to win. Since he refused to give in, that left him with only one option: running. However, the assassin had speed on her side. Though he was normally fairly fast himself, he'd be slower with his still healing wounds. If he ran on foot, she'd be able to catch him. Plus there were her throwing weapons to consider. If one of them stabbed him, he'd be as good as dead. _So I'll have to find some faster way to escape,_ he decided silently. Something the assassin couldn't keep up with.

Gillick slipped back towards the bed, grabbing his shoulder plates - with their assortment of leather straps - and his scabbard. Then he jumped away. However, instead of going towards the door, he headed towards the window. He broke the glass with his sword, jumping out and rolling as he hit the ground before dashing off into the storm.

He blinked his eyes against the torrent of water, searching for anything he could use to get away on and listening for the sounds of pursuit simultaneously. _There!_ A stable. Inside, he could just make out a dark form. He skidded to a halt near it, panting, and undid the latch on one of the stall doors. He didn't bother grabbing a bridle or saddle; he didn't have time. Instead, he hauled himself onto the horse's bare back.

"Trying to get away, are you?"

The assassin was racing towards him. He kicked the horse quickly, urging it forward. It whinnied at his touch, half rearing in the small stall. Then it bolted forward.

Gillick felt a wave of relief as the assassin ducked away instead of trying to jump onto the horse herself. The horse turned and galloped down the main street of the town. Whether it was more familiar with the path or frightened by the buildings, he didn't know, nor, for that matter, did he care. All he knew was that it was moving faster than the assassin could, and was heading out of town.

It seemed a long time before the horse finally slowed down to a stop. Gillick glanced back the way they'd come. The horse had seemed to stick to the path fairly well. _Which means I can't stay on it, _he thought. He slipped off the horse's side, landing with a splash in a puddle on the road. He hit the horse on the flank, sending it off down the road. _I don't know if there will be any tracks to follow after this, _he thought, looking to the sky, _but it's better than nothing._

He realized, as he headed off the road, that he would have left a few footprints of his own as he'd headed off the road. He frowned, and hurried to fill them in. _That'll have to do,_ he decided with a hasty glance back the way he'd come. _I don't know how long it'll take her to catch up._

He headed away from the road quickly, hoping the rain would disguise his departure. He returned his armor plates to his shoulders, and attached his scabbard - with his sheathed sword - back onto one of the leather straps that was strung across his back. _I can't afford to stop and wait out the storm, _he thought with frustration as he wiped rain water out of his eyes. He sighed quietly and, with one more glance behind him, continued to trudge through the tempest.

_**Gillick **__looked up at his assailants in frustration. "Well? What you gonna do, punk? Didn't you say something about beating the shit out of me?"_

_He grimaced, looking away from the man. What had he been thinking, picking a fight with this guy? No, he knew the answer to that; he hadn't. All it had achieved him were bruises and more pain._

_The man laughed. "Come on, guys; let's leave this loser here."_

_Gillick didn't lift his head to watch them go. Instead, he tried to pull himself tighter; tried to pull together what remained of his life. He closed his amber eyes, blocking out the world._

_He'd been stripped of his armor. That was the greatest dishonor for any Keyblader. He snorted, his lips curling into a sneer. _The Keyblade. _Why did it seem like all that weapon did was cause problems? He'd seen the actions of its wielders, from both sides. It corrupted them. And, more than that, it'd torn his life apart._

_He would never use that weapon again. Not ever. After all it'd done to him, he didn't want anything to do with it._

_But…he needed a weapon. Obviously, all his time training with a sword-like weapon hadn't prepared him for typical fist fights._

"_Hey, kid."_

_Gillick's eyes flicked open to see a man standing over him. "What do you want?" he growled._

_The man looked at him for a few more moments before looking to where Gillick's former opponents had gone. "Not very good at fist fights, are you?"_

_Gillick's eyes narrowed. "You just here to criticize me?" he snapped._

"_Merely an observation," the man responded quietly. "And, perhaps, I'll make another one."_

_A few moments of silence passed. Finally, Gillick snapped, "Well?"_

_The man returned his gaze to look at him full on once more. "Even though you were losing, you didn't give up."_

_Gillick laughed humorlessly. "A lot of good that did me," he responded quietly._

"_Don't give up yet," the man told him quietly._

_Gillick's hands tightened on his arms. He jerked upwards, angrily shouting, "What the hell do you want? If you're just going to give me 'advice', then get out of here! I've had enough 'advice' for one lifetime."_

_To his surprise, he saw a faint smile on the man's face. "Well, I'll leave, then," the man replied, "but not before I give you this." He took off the plates and straps that adorned his torso, and passed them to Gillick. Attached to one of the straps was a scabbard…holding a sword._

_Surprise ran through Gillick as he took the items into his hands. He slowly pulled the sword out of its scabbard. It seemed like a normal weapon, except for the runes that were etched into the blade. Frowning, he slipped the sword back into its sheath. "Are you serious? Why would you-"_

_He cut himself short as he looked up. The man was gone._

_Confused and somewhat unnerved, he looked back to the sword. He had it now; he might as well use it. He slipped the straps and plates over him, immediately realizing that he'd need to adjust them if he didn't want them to fall off._

_He lifted his head to the sky. _I don't know who you are, _he thought, _but…thanks, I guess.

_For the next two years, he'd spend his time traveling the world as a mercenary and a bounty hunter. But, no matter how hard he tried, he could never completely leave behind his past as a Keyblader._

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><p><em>And there's the end of chapter twenty. Reviews are always appreciated!<em>


	21. Forgotten Legends

_So this is chapter twenty - one. Thank you Grim Reaper Kid, Eddie Camp, SkyWarrior2, and an anonymous reviewer for reviewing last chapter!_

_And, on another note, I've (finally) gotten a story up on my FictionPress account. So, if anyone's interested in reading one of my original stories, please go an check it out. _

**Chapter Twenty - One: Forgotten Legends**

Trevor watched calmly as the Keybladers of the Dark Army fled. He flicked his Keyblade, a few specks of blood flying from it and landing on the ground. The Dark Army hadn't even seen to make much of an attempt to attack him. "What were they trying to do, I wonder?" he whispered.

One of his fellow Keybladers must've overheard them. "Who cares?" she responded with a shrug. "We beat them; that's all that matters."

Another Keyblader shot her a dark glance. "No, it's not," he sighed in exasperation. "Who in their right mind would send so few warriors to attack a heavily fortified building filled with Keybladers _without_ some sort of plan?"

"Maybe they were trying to reduce our numbers," one suggested, "or gather information."

"Or take back their spy," another replied sullenly. "You noticed the kid's missing?"

At the mention of Riun, another person came into Trevor's mind. _Mala._ He turned around, looking for her. "Mala!" he called. No sign of her.

He jumped as a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to see Tollun looking at him with grave silver eyes. "We need to find a way to get rid of those pests permanently," he growled.

Trevor nodded and assent. "Yeah."

"See to it, won't you?"

"But…Mala's-"

"Trevor." Tollun's voice was stern.

His shoulders slumped. Who was he to argue with a Keyblade master? "Yes, sir," he murmured.

Tollun nodded. "Good. See to it then."

He watched Tollun head off to check the other members of the Light Army for injuries. He sighed, and turned to look up at the fortress looming above them. He figured the best place to look would be in the library…

He sighed. He just hoped Mala was Ok.

**Mala **glanced around nervously. "Hurry, Riun!" she hissed. She didn't know how long it'd be before the Dark Army was chased off, but she didn't figure it could be long. And she didn't want to be anywhere to be found when they came back.

Her heart twisted at the thought. She was turning her back on the people she respected most…and for what?

"I'm coming, Mala!"

A kid who could be a Dark Army spy, that was what.

She sighed as she turned around to look at the boy. He was bringing a Chocobo towards her, a wide grin on his face. Even if he did support the Dark Army, he was still just a kid. She still needed to get him out of there.

"Come on; we're going this way." She jumped on the Chocobo, pulling Riun up with her, before steering the large bird through the hallways of the Light Army fortress. With the majority of the Keybladers occupied with the Dark Army, she wasn't concerned about staying hidden. Right now, the main focus was just to get out of the fortress and get away.

The large back door came into sight. She slowed the Chocobo down, sliding off one side and hurrying over to it. With a grunt, she turned the reel that would lower the heavy draw-bridge-like door and allow them to escape. She stopped before it was fully down, too nervous to wait any longer. She hurried back to Riun and the Chocobo and mounted once more. "Ok, let's go."

"Wait, we're going now?" Riun exclaimed as Mala urged the bird forward.

"We need to get out of here as fast as we can," she responded. "If this Chocobo's as surefooted as the Moogles said it was, this shouldn't be any problem for it."

The Chocobo hit the wooden door and began to run up the slanting surface. Upon reaching the edge, it jumped, extracting cries of alarm from its passengers.

Then it hit the rocky ground and continued forward without breaking stride. Relief and regret washed through Mala in equal measures. However, the young thief refused to look back.

**After **the storm had passed, Gillick was finally forced to stop. He fell to the ground and rested against a rock, panting. He glanced back the way he'd come, praying silently that the assassin hadn't been able to follow his trail through the storm and would give him a little time to rest.

He was drenched and cold from traveling through the tempest. The bandages were soaked through, and he was forced to pull them off. His wounds ached, still not completely healed, but they didn't burn. He sighed. _At least I'm not dead,_ he growled silently in a vain attempt at optimism.

The thought, however, made him reflect on his actions the previous night. He'd put his own life at risk to save that woman. He shook his head. Sure, she'd been kind to him, but…

He sighed. His actions confused him as much as they had when he'd saved Riun back at the Moogle village. _Idiot,_ he scolded himself silently. _Why do you keep doing that? It'll only get you killed._

Gillick leaned his head back, resting it against the rock. He felt his eyelids drooping. He jerked himself back to awareness and tried to weigh his options. On the one hand, he'd ridden the horse far out of town and left behind the road, traveling through the storm. That probably would've slowed the assassin down. On the other, he didn't know the extent of this assassin's abilities, he was still injured, and he couldn't set a very fast pace. It might be a good idea to get ahead…

And yet, he'd have to sleep sometime. His eyes narrowed in frustration when he realized he wouldn't be able to rest easy until the assassin was dead. _Then I'll rest now,_ he decided. He stood, looking for a more sheltered place to sleep for a time. Then he'd continue on…hopefully.

**The **Chocobo continued forward at a steady pace. Mala and Riun clung to its back, both of their eyes drooping with exhaustion. They'd been traveling almost non-stop for several days now in the hopes of finding Gillick. They had to find him so that he could protect Riun, and, Mala figured, so that they could warn him about the assassin.

If he hadn't already been killed, that is. She swallowed hard at the thought.

They hadn't seen any towns as they'd traveled, so they'd had no opportunities to ask anyone if they knew the whereabouts of a black haired man with amber eyes and a strange sword. In hindsight, Mala realized what a mistake this had been. However, she'd been nervous that the Light Army, or, worse, the Dark Army, would find them, and had steered clear of any villages. She sighed. "Perhaps we should find somewhere to rest."

"But we haven't found Gillick yet!" Riun protested. He shifted to look around the Chocobo's neck and into the landscape that stretched before them.

"I know," Mala replied quietly, "but we're getting nowhere like this. It might be better to go into town and ask-" She cut herself short as she saw a shape moving off in the distance. "What is that?" she whispered, narrowing her eyes.

Riun followed her gaze. "Maybe it's someone who can help us!" he suggested, grinning.

"Or it might be an enemy." Her old reservations returned. "Come on, we'd better-"

"Forward!" Riun spurred their mount himself. The Chocobo let out a surprised squawk before charging forward.

"Riun!" Mala protested, trying to rein the bird in.

They were nearing the figure at a rapid pace. As they grew closer, Mala's eyes widened in recognition. He obviously heard them coming, because he turned back and, upon seeing them, jumped out of the Chocobo's path, eyes wide. With a massive tug from Mala on the reins, the giant bird skidded to a stop. The sudden jerk caused both of its riders to tumble to the ground.

"What the hell were you trying to do? Flatten me?"

Mala's eye twitched at the familiar sardonic voice. "Not a bad idea," she muttered, pushing herself up.

"Gillick!" Riun exclaimed, running towards the older boy and hugging his waist.

Mala tried not to laugh at Gillick's annoyed expression as he detached the child and pushed him away. "No hugs," he growled, eyes glittering as he glared at him. Riun seemed undaunted by the force of his gaze. After a few moments his amber gaze turned to Mala, one hand still resting on Riun's head to keep him at bay. "Why does it seem like you two appear everywhere I go?"

"Well, this time, we were actually looking for you," Mala informed him.

Surprise flickered in his eyes. "Why?" he asked, suspicion lacing his tone.

"The Light Army was holding me prisoner!" Riun cried.

Gillick's eyes flicked towards the boy then back towards Mala. "I thought you could protect him."

"I'll pass," he growled, eyes narrowing. He pushed Riun a little further backwards as he released his grip on the boy's head.

"What?" Mala yelped as he walked past her. She spun around, crying, "Hey! I helped you get out of the Light Army base! You _owe_ me!"

He hesitated for a moment. Then he turned around with a frustrated sigh. "Look, even if I _wanted _to protect the brat," he growled, running a hand through his hair, "I'm not exactly in the position to do it." He gestured to the still-healing wounds that laced his body.

"And then there's the matter of the assassin," Mala muttered, having forgotten about that in her plans to protect Riun.

Gillick's eyes widened. "You know about her?"

Mala looked up in surprise. So he'd already met her…? "Well, yeah, that's the other reason we were trying to find you-"

Gillick was suddenly shaking her shoulders, demanding, "Who sent her and why?"

"Uh um, the Light Army," she stammered, startled by his reaction. "They thought you were interfering too much."

He gritted his teeth, releasing her. "Damn them," he hissed angrily.

"But…if you met her, and you're still alive, then…?" Mala trailed off.

He glanced back at her, but didn't answer. Riun looked curiously between the two of them. "Can someone explain what's going on?"

**Trevor **turned listlessly through one of the many books in the library. He sighed, cheek resting on his fist. _Not the most exciting duty, _he thought, turning over another page.

It really didn't help that he was still thinking about what had happened to Mala. It'd been days since the battle, and still no sign of her. The Chocobo and the boy, Riun, were missing, too. That troubled him. Could she…have deserted them? He didn't want to consider the thought.

He shook his head forcefully. No. That would have to wait. He had his orders. He had to find something that could stop the Dark Army once and for all.

But after days of combing the library, he was getting weary of his task. He closed the book in his lap and rubbed his eyes. _I'll stretch a bit,_ he decided, _before I get back to work._ He stood, placing the book on a table, and began to pace around the room. In the process, he accidentally knocked over a stack of books. He tried to steady them with an exclamation of surprise, but several still toppled onto the floor. With a sigh, he bent down to pick them up.

As Trevor began gathering up the books, he noticed one that seemed out of place. He frowned, reaching for it. The book looked very old, its leather cover torn and worn away in some places, its pages yellow. Curious, he opened up the manuscript and began skimming through it.

He stopped on one page, something catching his eye. A weapon that resembled a cross between a normal sword and a Keyblade was etched onto the yellowed parchment, messy handwriting scrawled around it. He squinted at its name. "Exblade?" he mumbled curiously. Then he looked at the pronunciation, and his eyes widened. "No," he murmured. "X-blade."

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><p><em>And that's the end of chapter twenty-one. Please review?<em>


	22. Joining Forces

_This is chapter twenty - two. Sorry this is up a little later than normal, but my internet's been a little...spasmodic. Thank you kiyohunter, Grim Reaper Kid, Draconet, Kamen Rider Ebon, Eddie Camp, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty - Two: Joining Forces**

"Well, I guess that explains that," Mala sighed when Gillick finished reluctantly telling her and Riun about his meeting with the assassin.

He nodded, amber eyes narrowed. "Now that story time is done," he said sarcastically, "I'll be taking my leave."

"Wait!" Mala cried, grabbing his arm as he turned to go.

He simmered with frustration. Whipping back around, he barked at her, "Look, I can't take the kid with me. I have enough to deal with _without_ have to deal with _him_." He jerked his head towards Riun.

"Yeah, I know, you've explained this already," Mala replied. "But I think all of us would be better off if we stuck together."

He looked at her incredulously for a few moments. Then he turned his head away. "No thanks."

As Gillick jerked his arm away from her grasp, Mala called after him, "Think about it! Riun needs protection. I'd rather not run into problems alone. And you're still injured and will need help, whether you admit it or not."

He froze at her last statement. He gritted his teeth, eyes closing tightly. Help with the assassin…would be good…

No. No, he couldn't do that.

But…he needed to have time to heal if he ever hoped to be able to face that bitch. And, perhaps, staying in a group would help him.

He sighed reluctantly. "If you plan to come with me," he growled, glancing over his shoulder, "then you should know that I don't plan on wandering around aimlessly."

"Didn't figure," Mala replied with a shrug.

Gillick pulled out the wanted poster, passing it to the girl. "This is who I'm after."

He didn't see her expression, but he could feel her surprise. "You're…not going to kill her, are you?"

"We'll see when I find her." He took the poster back. "Still want to come with me?"

There were several moments of silence before she quietly replied, "Yeah."

He nodded. "Then let's go."

"**Master **Tollun!"

The Keyblade Master looked up at the sound of his name. "Trevor," he said, nodding to the boy as he raced to meet him. "I'm assuming you found something?"

"Yes," Trevor panted, eyes bright. He held up a tattered old book. "Look at this."

Tollun, frowning, took the book from the boy. On the page was depicted a weapon that vaguely resembled a Keyblade. "What is this?" he asked.

"Something called the X-blade, sir."

He quirked an eyebrow at the young general. "Keyblade?"

"Um, well, not like what we wield," Trevor added hastily. "Just read it."

Slowly, Tollun turned his silver eyes back to the pages before him. The handwriting was hard to read, and was faded in some places, but, in the end, he was able to make out this:

_The X-blade is a weapon of great power. Though it bears a resemblance to the Keyblades that appear to us, it is of a far greater power. It appeared alongside the gate, and was the key that was able to unlock it a release our keys. Unlike our weapons, it is not a portion of this gate's power, but a power completely separated from it. It is the only known power to truly be able to unlock the gate._

Tollun felt a pulse of excitement. A Keyblade…of greater power than any other Keyblade. This 'X-blade', if it could truly unlock the gate that spawned the other Keyblades, would be the way he could finally destroy the Dark Army. "Good work, young one," he praised Trevor.

The boy beamed, but his smile soon fell. "Sir…is it Ok, if…now I go look for Mala?"

He thought about denying the request. After all, he still needed to learn how to obtain the weapon. However…if he pressed the boy too much, he could eventually rebel, just as his older brother did. Even Trevor had a certain 'neediness' to him, someone could only be pushed so far before they broke. Slowly, he nodded his assent. "But when you're down," he added, "I'll need you to look for more information on this 'X-blade.'"

Trevor nodded, relief shining in his eyes. "Of course, sir!" he cried, scampering off.

Tollun smirked, turning his eyes back to the book. Maybe if he continued reading, he'd find out more about this mysterious X-blade. He carefully flipped the page over, scanning the words scrawled across the paper:

_The gate, after being opened by the key, became known as 'Kingdom Hearts', as it seemed as if the hearts of the people had called forth the heart of the world. Likewise, the key became known as the 'X-blade', in representation to the ending of one era and the beginning of another. The various keys that were created by Kingdom Heart's power could only be wielded by those with strong hearts, and became known as 'Keyblades' for obvious reasons._

_However, many sought the power of the X-blade for selfish reasons. It was fought over by all, until one day, it disappeared. Since then, we Keybladers have sought a way to bring it back. We believe to have finally found an answer. In order to re-_

From there, the words were too smudged for Tollun to read. He blinked in dismay, rapidly flipping through the other pages of the book in search of more information. "No! It can't just end yet!" However, no other information about the X-blade and Kingdom Hearts could be found.

Frustration came over him, and he snapped the ancient book shut. He was so close…and yet so far away.

**The **assassin sighed. "Well, it appears my prey made better ground than I thought."

She was standing in the road, looking down at the ground. The storm that had raged had made it difficult to see, and she'd ended up following the clearly marked tracks of the horse instead of sticking around to look and see if her quarry were truly riding it. She cursed herself for it later, but was never one to dwell much on the past.

The rain had destroyed most of the tracks, but there were enough faint remains for her to follow them back. And that was what had led her to find an odd area in the road. One that was scuffed up, as if someone had shuffled their feet through the dirt…or hurriedly tried to hide their tracks.

She flipped one of her knives absently in her hand (she made sure to clean the poison from the blades so she didn't accidentally poison herself). "Tricky, tricky," she murmured, smirking. "But not tricky enough."

She quickly followed the boy's trail off into the wilderness. It wouldn't be long…and she'd have found her quarry once more.

And then it was time for the kill.

"**So** when are you going to teach me how to be a hero?"

"Never. Shut up."

"So…soon?"

"No."

"What are you going to teach me first?"

"Will you just SHUT UP?"

Mala sighed. Gillick's amber eyes shifted her way accusingly. "You don't want to hear this? Then get it through his head that I'm _not a hero_ and that I'm _not teaching him anything_."

"You know, he really isn't a hero," Mala informed Riun. Then a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes, and there was a sinking feeling in his gut. "But, I bet he would teach you something if you bugged him enough."

"Yay!" He ran forward and wrapped his arms around the older boy, a grin on his face.

Gillick shot an angry glare back at his other companion. "I. Hate. You."

"The feeling's mutual," Mala replied, looking amused.

Gillick pried Riun off him and forced him away. Riun wasn't deterred. "Come on! You've got to teach me _something_!"

"I've _got_ to do nothing."

He suddenly felt the young younger boy wrap his arms and legs around one of his legs. He looked down at him in surprise. "If you don't, then I'll…I'll keep clinging to your legs and never let go!"

Gillick sighed, looking up to the sky. "I can still walk with you on my leg." To prove his point, he continued forward, dragging along the leg with the boy clinging to it.

"Hey!" Mala protested. "You could hurt him!"

"Then tell him to let go," Gillick responded, trying to control his anger.

"Well, you know, if you'd just teach him something-"

"No!" His eye twitched. This 'joining forces' thing could prove to be more trouble than it was worth.

**Viril **found himself pacing in his throne room. The Keybladers of the Dark Army were feeling restless. They wanted action now, tired of the Light Army's tricks. It was the reason many had decided to try an out and out attack on one if the Light Army's bases. He'd made sure to punish those that had come back, but…he knew that, if he didn't do something, it wouldn't be long before something like this happened again.

"Master Viril, you wanted to see me?"

Viril turned around to look at Xuren. The man's eyes glinted with their usual light. For a few moments, he questioned the wisdom of asking this particular Keyblader to come. And yet… "We have to find a way to take down the Light Army once and for all."

"Obviously." Xuren flashed a white smile.

Viril's eyes flashed behind his bangs, obliterating the smile. "I want you to organize some Dark Army Keybladers to attack a Light Army town and draw their attention."

"Oh, already moving into a battle plan?" Excitement tinged the dark man's voice.

"No." Viril shook his head for emphasis. "I plan on trying to infiltrate their fortress and find out their greatest weakness."

"Spies never worked before."

"We don't have much choice."

Xuren paused for a few moments, his normally manic glee gone. "Understood, sir," he replied, leaving the room.

Viril resumed his pacing. Xuren always like battle; he was best suited for this job. He'd send a different Keyblader to comb through the Dark Army's libraries later. He'd also have to pick out some Keybladers to try and infiltrate the nearest fortress. He didn't have much faith in it working, but, if it did…

Then they'd be one step closer to the fall of the Light Army.

Regardless, he had to do something to satisfying his Keyblader's restlessness. After all, intimidation could only get you so far when you were greatly outnumbered.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter twenty - two. Reviews would be great!<em>


	23. Unsteady Alliance

_Here's chapter twenty - three. Thank you kiyohunter and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty - Three: Unsteady Alliance**

Gillick felt edgy. Night had fallen, and he'd removed his sword and scabbard, placing the items on his lap as he leaned back against the tree. He looked at the two sleeping figures nearby, black blobs hardly visible through the dark covering. He looked up to the sky. Only a sliver of moonlight remained. _And it'll be gone in a night or two,_ he thought, lips twisting downwards into a frown.

The thought did little to comfort him.

On the nights where the moon waned, it was near impossible to see. If you lived in a town, it wasn't much problem; there were torches put up around town during those nights, allowing late-night travelers and people doing business to see. But out here…unless you carried flint with you, you'd be going blind.

He wasn't so concerned about the wildlife, or, for the most part, other humans. The lack of light would keep all but those with excellent night vision from being active. However, he wasn't sure what the assassin could do in the darkness. It was entirely possible that she'd figured out some tricks to maneuver in pure darkness. And that would cause trouble. He snorted. _Well, there's an understatement._ Gillick's fingers played around with the hilt of his sword. The night was quiet, thankfully; then again, the assassin could just be sneakier than he thought her to be. He grimaced. This was getting him nowhere.

He once again wondered if it was a good idea to team up with Mala an Riun. On the one hand, he knew that he couldn't face the assassin head on right now. Not and win, in any case. Though his wounds were healing, they weren't healing fast enough. But, on the other hand, the two of them would slow him down. Besides, he'd learned long ago that trust was a sure fire way to get you killed.

Then again, Mala had helped him out of the Light Army base…

He shook his head. _The assassin isn't likely to walk right up to us, _he argued silently. _I could be dead before they even have time to notice she's there._

He exhaled heavily. _I can't stay up all night with this._ He had to sleep; if the assassin were to strike, he needed his wits about him. He'd just have to trust his instincts to wake him if trouble were near.

"**Master **Xuren, what are we going to do for our attack?"

Xuren surveyed his group of Dark Army Keybladers. He was trying to force a presence of calm, like Viril exuded, but was mostly failing. The other Keybladers seemed to pick up on his feelings, looking restless and ready to attack. His yellow eyes glowed eerily in the torchlight. "Normally," he replied, "I'd say we just attack and destroy them." He let a small grin slip onto his face. "But we're meant to be a distraction. So I say we give them a show."

"What kind of show?" one of the Keybladers asked. He was frowning, as if he were unsure of this idea.

"We'll attack tomorrow night," Xuren answered, "when the moon is gone."

"But…we won't be able to see!"

He glared at the Keyblader who'd spoken out. "There are torches in town," he growled back. "And, in any case, I plan to send out one or two of you to survey the area in the daylight. That way, we're ready."

"That's…oddly strategic of you," one of the Keybladers said slowly.

"Who are you and what have you done with Xuren?" another joked.

"Oh, don't worry," the Dark Keyblader answered with a maniac smile, "once tomorrow night comes…the fun will _really_ begin."

**Morning **light washing over him woke Gillick up. He blinked open his eyes, letting them adjust to the sun, and sat upright. He returned his scabbard to it's traditional position on his back, and turned his gaze to where his two companions had been sleeping.

Surprise rushed through him when he noticed Mala was missing. His eyes widened, then narrowed. _Figures. Once she got Riun here, she just leaves the kid with me._ Well, if she thought he was going to take him alone, forget it. He wouldn't be much use in a fight. He got up, getting ready to leave.

"Hey."

Gillick whipped his head around in time to catch a fruit that was flying towards him. "What the hell?"

"It's called 'fruit'," Mala replied sarcastically.

He glared at her. "No shit," he responded.

She rolled her eyes. "You're not making it easier to like you, you know." He snorted, leaning back against the tree and inspecting the food. "I didn't poison it, you know!" Mala cried, exasperated. Gillick's eyes flicked to her briefly, and he slowly took a bite out of the fruit.

He watched Mala as she woke up Riun and handed him a piece of fruit. So she hadn't stabbed him in the back. Yet. He didn't plan on letting his guard down, though.

The three were off soon after. Riun was rubbing his eyes, obviously not yet completely awake. Mala and Gillick walked along in an uneasy, tense silence. Gillick had fallen a little bit behind the thief girl in order to keep a better eye on her. She looked tense, as if she knew he didn't trust her. Although, he wasn't exactly trying to hide it.

His head jerked around at a sudden noise. _That sounded…a lot like…_ He spun around, hand shooting up to the hilt of his sword. Sure enough, a Dark Corridor was opening up behind him. He wasted no time in jerking his sword out of its sheath and lunging forward.

The man coming out of it didn't even have time to respond as he was impaled.

"Gillick!"

He ignored Mala's exclamation of surprise, instead watching to see if anyone else would emerge. However, the Dark Corridor collapsed in on itself. With a satisfied nod, he jerked his weapon out of the body, wiped the blood off on the grass, and sheathed it.

"Gillick!"

He continued to ignore Mala and the sound of his rapidly approaching companions, instead looking to the armor glinting on the man's shoulder. _What's a Dark Army Keyblader doing here?_ he wondered. Thinking about how easily a Dark Corridor could get a person from place to place, a large part of him wished suddenly that he had the ability to use them.

He felt something slam into him from behind. He caught himself as he stumbled and, growling under his breath, whipped around and caught Mala's next punch. "What the hell was that for?"

She was looking at him accusingly. Behind her, Riun was looking at the dead Keyblader with a face wiped blank with shock. "But…he was from the Dark Army…"

"Why?" Mala hissed. "Why'd you kill him?"

"He was a threat," Gillick replied. He quirked an eyebrow. "Didn't you Light Army supporters hate the Dark Army?"

"Well, yeah, but…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "You didn't even give him a chance!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, next time I'll warn him with, 'I'm sorry, sir, but I may have to kill you before you kill me. Let's play fair now.'" He quickly switched from a mocking tone to one that was scathingly acidic. "Do you realize how stupid it is to do something like that? I have news for you, your enemies are not going to play fair. You're a thief; you should know that."

"I _do_ know that!" she responded angrily. "But, you know, killing isn't always the best idea. It can bring trouble that's not needed."

Gillick's eyes brimmed with scorn. "So, that's it. You're just afraid again."

She hesitated. "I…well…"

He snorted. "If you're scared, then go back to where you came from. I'm guessing the Knight will be gone for a while. This war is no place for cowards." With that, he released her and began to walk away.

"It's not a-"

He whipped back around, amber eyes smoldering. She shrank back, and he felt some small consolation that he could induce fear in her. "No, the general populace would never admit to it. They're too afraid of what that means. But, trust me, what's going on between the Light and Dark Armies is no normal battle." His eyes narrowed. "And if you don't want to get hurt, it's smarter to stay out of it." He turned back around and stalked away, leaving two startled humans behind.

**Mala** watched Gillick go with her jaws gaping open. Riun piped up as the older boy left. "What's going on? Where's he going?"

Riun went to go after him, but Mala caught his arm. "No! Stay here with me!"

He looked up at her in confusion. "But…why?"

Her eyes followed after the black-haired boy. Until then, she'd just considered him a jerk. Well, a jerk with considerable fighting skills. But for whatever reason…she'd never actually considered him 'dangerous' until that moment. It was a stark contrast to his brother, Trevor, who seemed so kind. Perhaps that was why she'd wanted to trust him…because of his brother. But now… "I think I made a mistake bringing you to him," she said quietly, her voice shaking.

"But…he's a hero!"

She turned her blue eyes to the boy. "Didn't you see him just kill that man? With no remorse, no hesitation? He didn't even stop to see if the guy was on our side."

Riun glanced back at the body. His lip quivered, and he bit it to stop it. Slowly, he nodded, a few tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He looked away, towards the figure of Gillick heading off into the distance.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to think hanging out with the Dark Army is safer than hanging around him," Mala added quietly.

Riun had no reply.

She looked away. "Come on, Riun; let's find a town to stay in before nightfall."

**Gillick **continued forward in an angry sort of haze. How could she be so _blind_? He'd probably just saved her ass, not to mention the kid's, and she was _yelling _at him for it? Some thanks.

There was a part of him that said he should find a town before the night fell. He figured he should probably listen to that part. Taking a deep breath to try and calm his anger, he changed his direction.

From his time in the Armies, he knew the area around here fairly well. There was a Light Army town that would be coming up. If he made good time, he could get there before dark.

As his anger cooled, he wondered if he should really be going towards a town. After all, the assassin would have a much easier time finding him there. But, then again, he'd be able to see better, too. And he didn't know her exact skills in the darkness. Best to get somewhere where he'd at least have a chance at fighting her, if he had to.

**The **sun was beginning to set, sending streaks of red across the sky, by the time Mala and Riun saw a town in the distance. "Look!" Mala cried. "We made it!"

Riun nodded, looking downcast. She sighed as she looked at him. She'd been shaken by what had happened, but she'd managed to pull through it as they walked. In fact, she felt almost happy to be free of Gillick. But Riun…hadn't taken things so well. He considered Gillick to be someone great; a hero he could look up to. Now doubt had been cast on just how much of a 'hero' the bounty hunter was.

Mala felt rage simmering inside her. _The next time I see him, I'll make sure he pays for hurting Riun._ There was a part of her that knew that was unrealistic; even in his weakened state, he was a powerful warrior. There was a greater part of her that realized that her current feelings of courage would deplete as soon as she saw the boy again. But that didn't stop her from being angry.

"Come on," she sighed, grabbing Riun's hand and tugging him along. "Let's find a place to stay for the night."

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter twenty - three. Reviews would be great!<em>


	24. Knight of Despair

_Here's chapter twenty - four. Thank you caitlinkeitorin, Eddie Camp, and Grim Reaper Kid for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty - Four: Knight of Despair**

Xuren looked down at the Light Army village in the fading light of the sun. "We'll strike soon," he said.

"But, Master Xuren, one of the Keybladers you sent out hasn't come back yet!"

He whipped his head around to glare at the outspoken warrior. "The other two have," he snapped, "and we aren't just going to wait around! If he's late, that's his problem. If he's dead…" He laughed. "That's also his problem."

The other Keybladers were quiet for a few moments. Finally, one spoke up tentatively. "So…what do we do?"

"We'll split up into three groups," Xuren decided, eyes glittering. "And we'll attack…as soon as full night falls."

**Gillick **walked slowly into the town. Night had fallen, but the glow from the torches allowed him to see the safe haven. He trudged along slowly, only half-awake. He pulled out his munny pouch and tiredly counted what remained. _Not enough to waste on an inn,_ he decided. Much as he hated the idea of having to deal with thieves, he'd have to take refuge in an alleyway.

Gillick turned slowly down the nearest alley. He slid down to the ground and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. _Hopefully, the assassin won't try to strike tonight…_

He jerked awake at a sudden noise. He stood slowly to his feet, eyes scanning the area for what had caused it. His body was tense as he searched.

Then, he saw the source of the noise; Dark Army Keybladers. And they were coming towards him.

"**But **_why_ aren't we staying in an inn?" Riun complained.

"Um…because we aren't," Mala replied, not wanting to admit that it was her lack of trust and lack of money that forced them to stay on the streets. Riun pouted, crossing his arms. "Come on, it's not that bad; at least we have light." She gestured to the torches that surrounded them.

She halted abruptly as she saw something move up ahead. She quirked an eyebrow. _Maybe more stragglers like us,_ she though, knowing that people on the road would often come into town during a New Moon.

Her opinions soon changed when she saw something glint in the torchlight. _Armor?_ But…usually when there was armor, there was…

Her suspicions were confirmed when one of the shadows summoned a weapon and set a house ablaze. Screeches of alarm immediately went up. "Keybladers are attacking," she muttered. She reached for her bow and arrows…only to remember belatedly that she'd used up all her arrows in the fight against the Dark Army. Cursing under her breath, she whipped around and grabbed Riun, ignoring his protests as she hauled him into an alley.

**He** jabbed his weapon into one of the oncoming Keybladers. She fell with hardly a cry. He continued to fell his opponents as quickly as possible. He didn't know how many he'd fought, or how many would continue to stream into the narrow alley. He simply fell into the rhythm of battle.

He froze suddenly. A wild, inhuman call pierced the night.

**Mala** stiffened as a cry echoed through the night. He grip tightened around Riun. "Ow! Mala, you're hurting me!"

She ignored the young boy's protests and glanced around the edge of the alley. She didn't see it yet…that was good. "Come on, Riun, we need to get out of here."

"What? Out of town?"

"Yes."

"Are you just scared of the Keybladers?"

"There's something much worse I'm worried about."

She had just dragged the boy out into the streets when the torches suddenly flickered out. Mala felt cold dread creep down her spine. Slowly, she turned her head. All she could see in the darkness was a patch of glowing blue and two eerie patches of light…light she knew to be eyes. The eyes moved, and a snarl ripped through the night.

Fear and adrenaline lanced through her. "Riun, we need to run!"

"Why?"

She felt the boy slip from her grasp. A straggled cry of, "No!" escaped from her lips, but she couldn't see well enough in the darkness to find the boy.

She heard his voice come from nearby. "What is it?"

Mala didn't think; she simply lunged towards the sound. She felt someone, and tackled them to the ground. A moment later, a fireball streaked away and hit a building, illuminating the night once more.

Mala looked up from where she'd tackled Riun. The Keybladers that'd swarmed the town had stopped their rampage, looking at the monster before them with undisguised horror. "Is that…?" one of them asked, trailing off.

Mala swallowed hard, fear glittering in her eyes. "The Knight."

**He** watched his enemies carefully. They'd backed off a bit, seemingly a bit more wary of him now. That was good. It'd give him an edge.

For several moments, both sides waited in tense silence. Then one Keyblader lunged toward him with a furious war cry.

He lashed out and blocked the Keyblade. The man's eyes widened as he was first pushed back, then stabbed. He fell with only a strangled gurgle.

He suddenly felt something tugging at him. His wounds…they weren't completely healed yet…

**The **Knight swept its glowing gaze around the Keybladers before it. Mala, and Riun hidden under her, didn't appear to be much of a threat to it. It was little wonder; the Keybladers that had tried charging it so far had been felled with little effort.

She knew she should move, but fear kept her paralyzed where she was. She was having trouble thinking; having trouble doing anything but listening to the pounding of her heart.

Then, slowly, the helmeted head of the monster that stood over her looked down. Her breathing grew louder, but she didn't move. Riun, still protected beneath her body, had stopped trying to struggle away. She looked up at the creature. None of the Keybladers seemed willing to move to her aid. She was on her own.

Then, slowly, the Knight began bending down towards her. The movements, hindered by the armor joints, seemed stiff and awkward. She was shaking violently as the Knight's glowing eyes edged closer to her. It growled quietly. A familiar sort of fear crept into her body. It would attack soon; she knew it. What kind of horrible death would be in store for her and Riun?

Mala finally snapped out of her stupor. Her hand shot out and grabbed the nearest weapon she could find; a rock, one that, thankfully, had a pointed tip. She lunged it upwards to the only weak spot in the Knight's armor; it's upper arm. The creature seemed to try to move away, but wasn't quick enough.

The sharpened tip of the rock sunk into the creature's flesh. The Knight let out a roar of fury and pain as Mala dragged the rock down through the glowing blue on the bared flesh. Dark blood seeped from the wound and spilled onto the ground.

Mala quickly grabbed Riun and tried to scramble away. The Knight, however, had been enraged into a fury. It shot out a Blizzard spell. The attacked caught her legs, freezing her in place. She released Riun, pushing him forward. "Riun! Get out of here!"

"But what about you?"

The Knight was coming for them. Mala covered her head with her hands, shaking and waiting for death to come.

**The **Dark Army Keybladers had decided to swarm him. Great. Just great.

They obviously seemed to think their greater numbers would overwhelm him. Well, he'd have to prove them wrong. Even with his injuries, he'd defeat them.

He lunged forward, kicking away one Keyblader and slashing at another…

**She** felt something break the ice encasing her legs. She looked up in surprise to see a Keyblader. "Get out of here!" he commanded. She could only nod shakily. She scrambled to her feet, trying to run away.

The Knight saw her, and lifted its clawed hand to send a spell towards her. It was stopped, however, as Keybladers began to converge on it. It snarled, slashing and clawing at the humans clinging to it…

**He **could feel his wounds beginning to ache. Pain was pulsing through him, but he ignored it. He had enemies to fight; if he stopped, he'd die.

He slashed at them, trying to force them back. The Keybladers were persistent. They seemed to be determined to kill him. Seemed to be a reoccurring theme in his life recently…

"**Riun!"** she called frantically. She had to find the boy and get them out of there. If not…she didn't want to think about it.

"Mala!" She heard the boy's response, and whipped around, trying to find him. Nearby, the Keybladers were still trying to fight the Knight. The monster kept attacking and firing off spells, keeping the Keybladers at bay…

**He **was growing frustrated. He lashed out blindly, hoping the idiots would leave him be.

The Keybladers seemed to finally realize how foolish an idea this was. "Why are we doing this?" one asked. "We're supposed to be attacking the town."

Another swallowed hard. "Good point. Let's get out of here."

He watched them run…

**The** Keybladers seemed ready to give up on their fight with the Knight and flee. The Knight, however, didn't seem willing to let them go so easily. It fired a Thundaga spell towards the fleeing Keybladers. They screeched and convulsed with pain as the spell lanced through them.

Mala watched it all in horror. She shivered, her search for Riun nearly forgotten. She could only look on as the Knight killed the Keybladers.

A hand landed on her shoulder, and she jumped. "Well, I see you're still standing back."

She looked up and gaped with surprise. "It's you!" The man who'd met her after she'd fled from the Moogle village, and the Knight had attacked. The one who had convinced her to try and fight to help Trevor.

The man glanced towards her. "Go; find your friend and leave. I believe…this battle is meant for me to fight."

Black wings erupted from the Knight's back, and it flapped them to lift into the air. The man followed behind the beast at a rapid pace. "Wait!" Mala protested, taking a few steps after him. Then she stopped. He wouldn't catch the Knight…at least, she didn't think so. Right now, she just had to find Riun.

**He **left soon after the Keybladers did. He stopped to rest some distance away, not expecting anyone or anything else to show up. So he was surprised when something did.

He jerked back in surprise as a figure appeared before him; a stocky armored creature with glowing eyes and a glowing arm. He remembered it from his childhood. _The Knight._

The beast extended a clawed hand towards him. He lunged forward without thinking. His weapon grazed the helmet.

Gillick froze as a face was revealed. _But…I know this person!_

He was suddenly sent flying backwards. He collided with a building, the force of the blow causing him to break through the wood and bring the structure down. He felt his arm burn, and something hit his head hard. Then he fell into unconsciousness.

**Xuren** frowned, looking around his area of the town. There didn't seem to be…as much destruction as he'd thought there'd be. _What are those other two groups doing?_ he wondered. One thing was for sure; they'd be in huge trouble when the attack was over.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter twenty - four. What'd you think? Reviews are awesome!<em>


	25. Trauma

_I'm going to be gone tomorrow, so…chapter twenty - five is up early. Thank you kiyohunter, Eddie Camp, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty - Five: Trauma **

Riun shivered. _That_ was the Knight? He understood why people were afraid of it.

He looked around frantically for Mala. He was shaking, scared. "Mala!" he called as Keybladers fled around him, steadily falling to the attacks of the Knight. "Mala!" his voice quivered, and tears streaked down his face.

The Knight suddenly took to the sky, flying off into the night. Riun fell to the ground, crying.

"Riun!"

He lifted his head at the sound of his name. "Mala!" he cried, scrambling up and running towards her.

She embraced him in a hug. "You scared the crap out of me," she breathed, shaking as badly as the boy was.

"I-I was s-s-so scared, and confused, a-and…" he trailed off, unable to stave off his terror long enough to form a coherent response.

"It's Ok," the girl replied. He looked up at her. "Come on, let's find somewhere to hide out for the rest of the night."

He clung close to Mala, still shaken and still crying. She'd saved him; he admired her for that. But he couldn't help wishing that Gillick had been there.

**Light **Army Keybladers poured out of the fortress in the mountains, racing towards a village that was under attack. Nearby, Dark Army Keybladers watched with gleaming eyes. "How long do you think Xuren's distraction will last?" one hissed.

Another shrugged. "Doesn't matter, so long as we have time to find something useful." The three other Keybladers murmured agreement, and the four-some opened Dark Corridors and stepped through them.

Inside the Light Army fortress, it was bright. The dark Keybladers sneered in disgust at the sight, but made no comment about it. "Where first?" one hissed.

"Split up," another replied. "If you find anything useful, open a Dark Corridor and take it back to Master Viril."

Only one looked wary about this plan. "Are you sure it's a good idea to use the Dark Corridors so heavily? They do come with a price, you know."

The one who had spoken prior nodded. "But we don't exactly have much choice here."

"…Fair point."

With that, the four Keybladers split up and ranged throughout the Light Army base.

After a few hours of searching, all quickly grew tired. Then, one found a locked door. She frowned. _I wonder…what's in here?_ She summoned her Keyblade and used it to open the lock. She slipped inside, looking around.

It looked like some sort of office/bedroom. It was in neat order, and was illuminated by many spheres of light. She had no doubt as to who it belonged to. _Tollun._ There was sure to be something interesting in here.

And it wasn't long before she found it. An old book, lying on the Light Army leader's desk, which detailed information about a weapon called the X-blade. She grinned. _This'll work._ With that, she escaped through a Dark Corridor, taking the book with her.

**Xuren** saw the Light Army Keybladers by the glowing balls of light they sent in front of them. He grinned wickedly. This'd be fun.

"Master Xuren!"

He whipped around to glare at one of his Keybladers. "What?" he snarled.

The Keyblader looked bloody and tired. He frowned. Surely no Light Army Keybladers had already been here…? "Master Xuren, we need to retreat!"

"What?" Xuren barked, fury apparent in his tone.

"The other two groups," the Keyblader panted, "met with trouble."

"And you think that's enough for us to leave?" Xuren scoffed.

"Master Xuren, think about it," a Keyblader from his group said quietly. "If too many of our Keybladers have been injured, we'll simply end up loosing lives. Hopefully, we attacked a village far enough away to give the others time to find something."

Xuren muttered something under his breath, looking to the pitch black sky. "Fine," he growled, and disappeared into darkness.

**Mala **led Riun through the streets as the sun began to rise, trying to calm both her nerves and his. Many buildings were destroyed; she could see bodies between the boards and stones, with some spilling out into the streets. Some were caused by the Dark Army Keybladers, she knew; but most, she also knew, were caused by the Knight.

She stopped as she heard something that sounded like a groan. She hesitated, looking at the fallen building beside her. Was someone alive in there.

"Mala?" Riun whimpered, pressing closer to her side.

"Shh," she whispered, listening hard. The groan came again, along with a slight shifting of boards. Her eyes flew wide with surprise. "Someone in there's still alive!" And, without thinking, she launched herself at the collapsed pile of wood.

She shifted the top boards, which were already splintered into several pieces, making her job easier - she'd never really been particularly strong, physically speaking. When the boards fell away, an arm and a head of black hair were revealed. A familiar sword was lying near the hand, still half-hidden by the wood.

Mala froze. But…but this was…

"Gillick!"

Riun, who had hung back, now hurried forward. He stared at his hero in horror, then turned his eyes to Mala. "What happened to him?"

"The Knight…or the Dark Army…" she replied quietly, her eyes still wide with shock.

Riun whimpered, and fell to the ground.

Mala shifted a few more broken boards. It wasn't much, but it was enough to pull the boy out from the wreckage. His sword was much easier to retrieve. Then she looked at the damage.

Gillick was scratched and cut up on various parts of his body. He had a cut on his left arm that looked deep and was still oozing a little blood. There was a long gash on his right leg, though, thankfully, that wound wasn't deep. She looked at the wrecked house. "The falling building must have knocked him unconscious," she muttered quietly.

"The Light Army! They're here!"

Mala's head whipped around to see Keybladers beginning to file into town. _I guess it's time for us to go,_ she thought, disheartened. She looked down, first at Riun, then at Gillick. She sighed. She wasn't fond of Gillick, but…she'd already gotten him out of the Light Army fortress. She didn't want to think that all her efforts to free him had been a waste. She picked up his sword and slipped it into his sheath. Then, hauling him onto her back with a grunt, she led Riun into an alley.

**The **first thing Gillick noticed when he came back to consciousness was the pain. He groaned, trying to sit up. His head spun, and he felt a throbbing in his arm and leg. _What happened?_

"Finally, you're awake!"

Gillick whipped his head around - effectively making it spin _more_ - to see Mala watching him. "What are you doing here?" he hissed, attempting to stand up and finding himself too dizzy.

"We needed shelter for the night," Mala replied with a shrug.

"Fine," Gillick snarled, rolling his eyes. "Then what am _I_ doing here?"

"We…found you unconscious in a collapsed building."

Amber eyes blinked in surprise. "A…collapsed building?"

Mala nodded. "Mind telling me what happened." She glanced to her side. Gillick followed her gaze to see a sleeping Riun. "You can tell him when he wakes up."

Gillick's gaze shifted back to the thief girl. What had happened, exactly? He frowned, closing his eyes and trying to think. He remembered coming into town…and going into an alley…and then, everything was blank. He put a hand on his head. "I don't know." he muttered.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Mala exclaimed, jumping up.

He glared at her. "I mean 'I don't know.' I remember coming here and going into an alley, but after that…" he trailed off, feeling confusion eat at him.

Mala sighed, sitting back down. "You must've hit your head when the building collapsed," she muttered. "That has to be why you don't remember."

Gillick shifted through his memories, trying to force his way through and see if anything was still there.

"Wait."

Mala looked up in surprise, and he narrowed his eyes in concentration as he tried to thin back to the event.

"There's…something…" he trailed off, trying to get a better picture of it. "It's kind of hazy, but…there's a figure. A familiar one. It's a stocky figure, covered with armor, with large black wings…" An image was beginning to form…glowing eyes, an angry snarl, a blood-red background.

Then a sharp pain stabbed his head. The image flickered and began breaking up. He let out a cry of pain, clutching at his head. "Gillick!" Mala cried in alarm. But the boy couldn't hear her.

He had already passed out.

**Mala** looked at Gillick in horror as he fell unconscious once more. What…had just happened? Had trying to remember been too much for him? It seemed likely; after all, it'd sounded like he'd been trying to describe the Knight, but the image wasn't quite right. The Knight, after all, was a slim creature, able to move fast but concealing incredible power.

She walked over to him and bent down. She'd always considered the warrior tough, if nothing else. So, seeing him like this was an odd thing.

She glanced back towards Riun. _At least he's still asleep._ Then she turned back to Gillick and wondered what to do.

The Light Army Keybladers were swarming outside. She'd managed to get them into a small, run-down building, but knew Gillick would have to be awake before they had much chance at escaping. After that, though…

She sighed. She didn't know if Gillick would agree. She, personally, didn't like the idea. Riun would probably be thrilled.

She would ask Gillick if she and Riun could go with him.

Even though she found she was still a but intimidated by the boy, Mala knew it'd be better for all of them if they worked together. Gillick was strong, but he was still injured; even more so now because of the incident with the Knight and the Dark Army. Whether he liked it our not, he'd need help. And, after the terrifying attack the night before, Mala knew that she wasn't going to be enough the keep Riun safe. If they worked together, they'd be able to survive. They'd just try and look past each other's differences.

…Easier said than done.

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><p><em>And that's the end of chapter twenty - five. Reviews are awesome. <em>


	26. Trying Again

_This is chapter twenty - six. Thank you Eddie Camp and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty - Six: Trying Again**

When Gillick returned to awareness, light was streaming through the boarded-up windows of the old building. He groaned, holding his head as he pushed himself into a sitting position. _What happened?_ he wondered, feeling muddled.

Then he remembered. He snorted, rolling his eyes. _That explains the headache, _he thought with a grimace. But it didn't explain what had happened. Why, when he'd tried to recall what had happened the previous night, had he experienced such intense pain? Having trouble remembering was one thing; having pain while _trying_ to remember was something else entirely. Something here…just wasn't right.

"Gillick!"

He lifted his head slowly, wary of sending himself into a dizzy spell or another bout of pain, and saw Riun grinning at him. Mala was some distance off, watching him warily. His eyes narrowed with frustration. "Hi," he muttered.

"Good to see you're awake…again," Mala commented.

"Haha," he growled dryly.

"Here's your sword!" Riun extended the weapon towards the boy, blade first.

Gillick shifted around the sharpened edge and grabbed the hilt from the boy's hand. "Thanks," he muttered, sliding his sword back into the scabbard on his back.

Mala fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. "I…have to ask you something."

His eyes flickered back to her. "What?" he asked warily.

Mala shifted her weight, looking up to the ceiling. "Could we…try traveling together again?"

Riun gasped, excitement pulsing from him. "Really?"

Gillick looked at her incredulously. "What?" he growled. "Don't you remember what happened last time?"

"I…I know," Mala replied, shifting her gaze to the ground.

"Then _why_?"

She finally met his amber eyes with her own blue stare. "Because last night proved something."

He waited for her to go on. When she didn't, he prompted, "It proved…?"

"That I'm not enough to protect Riun."

Gillick quirked an eyebrow. "I could've told you that," he responded, "but explain anyways."

Mala frowned at him, but went ahead with her story. "We may not know what happened to you, but we _do_ know that the Dark Army attacked this town last night. And then…the Knight came." She shivered. "From what you were able to explain, it sounded like you ran into it, too, but the knock to your head must have caused some…amnesia."

"No shit," Gillick responded with narrowed eyes.

Mala shook her head. "The Knight nearly killed me, and probably Riun, too. We were separated, and…I was scared, and could hardly do anything to fight back…" She paused, looking away for a few moments. Then she returned her focus to him. "That's why we need to travel together. I want to protect Riun, but…I don't know if I'm strong enough or brave enough to do it…"

Gillick thought of all the times he'd wanted to protect Trevor when the two of them were little, and felt a small amount of sympathy edge its way into his heart. However, he still wasn't real thrilled with the idea if having them go with him. "Look, you've been a thief for…however long you've been a thief. Your strengths aren't exactly 'bravery' and 'strength'; more like 'cunning' and 'speed'." Mala quirked an eyebrow, obviously wondering where he was going with this. "You can learn bravery, but for everything else, it's better to focus on your strengths than your weaknesses."

"Well then we should still stick with you until I _can_ learn bravery," she shot back.

His eye twitched. "Yeah, but I have an assassin chasing after me," he argued, "and I'm still in a…healing process. On top of that, I'm hunting down someone who's managed to either outwit or kill everyone tracking her. Do you honestly think this is the best idea?"

She blinked, frustration and resignation glittering in her eyes. "No," she replied, "but it's about the only one left." They sat in silence for several moments before Mala continued. "And you're injuries means there's another reason for us to travel together. After last night, you're even _more_ injured. You'll need help as much as we do."

Gillick narrowed his eyes. "I can do just fine on my own," he responded, trying to stand. Instantly he was hit with a wave of dizziness and felt an aching pain. He fell back to the ground, contradicting his own words.

Mala snorted. "Right," came the sarcastic response.

"So I'm hurt," Gillick growled. "That doesn't mean I need you fussing over me. More likely you'll be hiding behind me."

Mala's eyes narrowed. "Some thanks for saving you twice now!" she growled.

Voices sounded outside the building. The young thief grew quiet, alarm flaring in her eyes as they drew nearer. Gillick frowned at her reaction. He turned his gaze to Riun, who'd been oddly quiet through the whole exchange. The boy looked frightened, his usual cheer gone.

The voices grew fainter. Relief flared in Mala's eyes, though wariness still glittered in their depths. She turned back to Gillick, continuing quietly, "Swallow your pride and let us help you."

Gillick sighed, looking away. She had a point, he supposed. He did owe them, and, with the condition he was in, working together would benefit both of them. But he was still hesitant to agree. After his time in the Light and Dark armies, he'd come to loathe working with others, and had trouble putting his trust in anyone but himself. But he wasn't sure he had much of a choice right now.

"What's going on out there?" he asked, hoping to distract the thief girl from the topic.

"Light Army Keybladers," Mala replied. He detected regret in her voice, but chose to ignore it.

And if she was telling the truth, it pretty much made his decision up for him. "Fine. I'll come with you."

He looked up to see Mala's eyes glitter with relief and Riun's regain their former energy. "Yes!" Riun exclaimed, excited.

"Not so loud!" Gillick and Mala hissed at the same time, and then exchanged surprised glances."

Mala forced a smile. "Glad you agreed."

He snorted. "Yeah, well, I don't have much choice. But if I have to deal with you two, then both of you are going to have to deal with war. And, trust me, there _will_ be killing."

Mala swallowed hard, her face ashen. Even so, she replied, "Fine. We don't have much of a choice, either."

"**Master **Viril, may we enter?"

The leader of the Dark Army lifted his head. The Keybladers he'd sent to the Light Army base had returned. "Come in," he said, his voice echoing around the room.

The Keybladers entered, saluting when they reached him. "We found something that might help us defeat the Light Army."

"Really?" Viril asked. "And what might that be?"

One of the Keybladers extended something towards him. "This book, sir. It tells of something called the 'X-blade.'"

"X-blade?" Viril echoed. He took the book from the Dark Keyblader's grasp, opening it up and flipping through the pages.

He read the information on the X-blade quickly. A small smile twitched onto his lips. "This would be perfect," he conceded. "But how do we obtain it?"

The Dark Army Keybladers looked at each other, unable to answer his question.

Viril stood abruptly. "We'll need to spare as many Keybladers as we can to look for the answer," he ordered. "Gather a few of them and head out now."

"Yes, sir!" The Keybladers before him dispersed immediately.

Alone now, he felt himself falling into thought. If they'd found it in the Light Army base, there was a high chance that Tollun knew about the X-blade, as well. After all, his Keybladers couldn't have had much time to search, meaning that the book was most likely out in the open. Which would mean…they wouldn't be the only ones searching for a way to get the X-blade.

Viril lifted his head. "Well," he hissed aloud, "we'll just have to find it first." His heart flashed with anger and cold resolve. "We will put an end to the Light Army…once and for all."

**Mala** listened in silence to the sound of people moving outside. Her blue eyes flickered with unease. She shifted her gaze to where Gillick and Riun were. The younger of the two boys was fidgeting, though he seemed resigned to remaining quiet. She felt a twinge of guilt. If she'd been able to look after him better the night before, maybe he wouldn't be so somber now.

Gillick had the outward appearance of calm, though his amber eyes betrayed his frustration at having to remain in hiding. This time, Mala couldn't blame him; she wanted to be out of there as much as he did. But they couldn't risk trying to escape with so many Keybladers around, especially with Gillick still hurt.

Mala felt sadness well up inside her. More than anything, she wanted to go back to the Light Army. She wanted to help them fight off the darkness. She wanted to know Trevor a bit better. And she wanted to be something more than just a cowardly thief.

But, of course, fate had other plans.

Voices echoed outside. She held her breath, listening. "This is ridiculous. We've been looking all day, and there's been no sign of the Dark Army anywhere in town, besides the mess they left behind. We should just leave."

"We can't. Master Tollun told us to stay here and search the town until he called us home."

Mala stiffened. She knew that voice. _Trevor!_

The other Keyblader sighed. "Whatever. I still think it's a waste of time."

Trevor's voice sounded tired and sad when he responded. "Just keep an eye out, alright?"

She turned around quickly, peaking through the boards. She saw the figure of Trevor receding, and felt something prick inside her heart. Sadness pulsed beneath her skin, threatening to bleed out.

"Take my advice and let him go."

She jumped at the quiet voice at her shoulder. She looked to the side and saw Gillick standing just behind her. She pretended not to know what he was talking about. "Let who go?" she asked, looking away.

"Trevor."

Mala expected scorn in his voice; he usually had plenty to spare. But she found nothing underlying in his oddly quiet tone. She looked up into his unreadable amber eyes. "He said…you fought him, but you let him live. And…he's a Keyblader, but you're not…" Gillick continued to look at her, saying nothing. She shook her head. "What was it like…to fight your brother? What happened?"

Gillick sighed. His voice, when he spoke, was as tired and sad as his brother's had been. "It's not something…you'd understand." He forestalled her protest with a few final words, "Trevor is only strong when he has someone else to lean on. Keep that in mind…in case you ever have to fight him, too."

"I _won't_ have to fight him," Mala argued.

"If you keep going on the path you're on, you will." He blinked slowly, looking away. "And that's why I said to let him go. It's incredibly painful…to fight someone you care about. If you don't change something, all you're in for is pain and regret."

**Tollun's** eyes flashed angrily. He couldn't find it. He'd searched his whole office, but the book was nowhere to be found. "Viril," he hissed angrily.

The attack had only been a diversion. While the Light Army had been away, trying to defend their town, Dark Army Keybladers had snuck in the base. If he hadn't returned early to check on things, it would've been even longer before he'd found out.

He whipped around, stalking out of his office. He'd have to call the other Keybladers back. If Viril knew about the X-blade too…then there was suddenly a lot more at stake.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter twenty - six. Reviews are always welcome!<em>


	27. Stories of the Past

_This is chapter twenty - seven. Thank you Eddie Camp, Draconet, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty - Seven: Stories of the Past**

The Light Army Keybladers hovering around the town kept Gillick, Mala, and Riun on their toes. Nervousness permeated the air. Gillick's amber eyes flickered constantly around. The last thing he wanted was a group of Keybladers to come in. In his condition, he'd be able to do little to nothing to ward them off, and he didn't figure on Mala or Riun being much use.

"Hey," Mala hissed. She was peering out between the broken boards of the building into the streets. She sounded as if she'd - mostly - recovered from seeing and hearing Trevor earlier.

"What?" Gillick asked, tensing. She didn't sound alarmed, but he'd rather be safe than sorry.

"I think they're leaving."

Gillick jerked upright, then regretted it immediately as he felt splitting pain run through his body. She frowned at him. "Careful," she warned. He nodded and made his way more slowly to where the thief was looking out. As she'd said, there was no sign of them.

A grim smile etched itself onto his face. "Good. That means we can get going."

"Not yet, we aren't!" Mala protested, glaring at him.

He glared right back. She cowered slightly under his gaze, but held her ground. "Why not?"

"You need some time to recover," she responded. "If you don't, then we won't get very far before you collapse, now will we?"

"You need to take care of yourself Gillick!" Riun chipped in.

"Did I ask for your input," he snapped at the boy. As usual, he was undaunted by the older boy's snappish nature.

He turned his gaze back to Mala. She'd folded her arms across her chest, a stubborn look on her face. "You know I'm right."

He weighed his options. Was it worth arguing about…? He decided against it. "Fine," he conceded. "Just so long as we aren't here too much longer."

"That depends on how fast you heal," Mala responded dryly.

"And how will you know when I'm Ok?"

"When I can't keep you here any more."

Gillick snorted, a small smirk appearing on his face. "Fair enough."

Mala turned away from him, adding over her shoulder, "I'm going out to get some provisions" as she left. _More like _steal_ some provisions,_ Gillick added silently.

Riun was up immediately. "And while she's gone you can teach me how to be a hero!"

He glared at the younger boy. "Didn't I already tell you that _I'm not a hero_?"

"Yes you are."

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. These people were ridiculous. "Look," he said, "even if I were interested, which I'm _not_, I'm not exactly in the condition to be teaching you much of anything right now."

"Oh." Riun deflated a little at that statement. "When you're better, will you teach me?"

"If I say 'maybe', will you leave me alone?"

Riun stopped to think about this a bit. Then he nodded. "Ok."

"Then maybe."

The boy jumped into the air. "Yes!"

Gillick shook his head, smirking. _Dumb kid. Doesn't he know 'maybe' always means 'no'?_

"**What **happened? Why'd you call us back?" Trevor's breathless question lacked its usual formality as he hurried into Tollun's office. However, the messenger Tollun had sent had seemed nervous and jumpy; he was afraid something terrible had happened.

His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Tollun. The leader of the Light Army had anger blazing in his silver eyes, his jaws clenched with frustration. "The book is gone."

"The bo- oh." Trevor stopped himself abruptly, eyes widening. "Wait…you don't mean…?"

"Yes," Tollun growled furiously. "_That_ book."

"Was it the Dark Army?" Trevor couldn't stop the worried question.

Tollun shrugged, still looking agitated. "I don't know for sure, but it's safe to assume it was." He began pacing around the room. "And, if it was, that means they now know about the X-blade."

"Which isn't good," Trevor commented unnecessarily.

Tollun nodded anyways. "We'll need to step up our attempts to find this weapon," he muttered. "We must somehow find a way to obtain it before the Dark Army, or we'll lose everything."

"I'm at your disposal, Master Tollun," Trevor proclaimed, standing tall.

"Good." Tollun stopped and whirled around to face him. "Gather a group of Keybladers and begin going around to various towns, searching for answers. I'll send other groups out, as well, while a few will remain here to score the library."

Trevor nodded, though he felt uncertainty tugging at his mind. "But…we can only search in the towns aligned with the Light Army…"

"Wrong." Trevor blinked in surprise at his master's response. "You will search _all_ towns."

The young general swallowed hard. "_All_ towns, sir?"

"Yes." Silver eyes burned into blue. "Are you questioning my authority?"

"No, sir! Of course not!" Horror at the idea burned so fiercely in his mind that the flames turned any thoughts of doubt to ashes.

Tollun nodded, noticing his sincerity. "Good. Then go."

"Of course, sir!" Trevor hurried out the door, anxious to start on his journey and prove his loyalty once more.

**Several **days passed with little incident. Though Gillick was bored an impatient, he could at least be thankful for that. For the most part, Riun had managed to leave him alone; he guessed the boy was holding out desperately for the chance that Gillick would teach him. He supposed he might have to, after all, if the boy ever hoped to defend himself.

Mala's obvious expertise as a thief showed. She'd managed to swipe several arrows for herself, and they were never without food for too long. There was never even any sign that she'd been spotted.

Gillick wasn't so worried about Mala getting caught or Riun annoying him at the moment, however. Both of those things he could deal with. Much more worrying was the memory of the assassin. She couldn't be too far away by now, even if he'd managed to throw her off with his stunt at the last town he'd stayed in. They needed to get moving, or she was going to catch them.

"You look uneasy."

His eyes flicked to Mala. "That tends to happen when you have an assassin following you."

Mala snorted. "Fair point, I guess." Lips pressed in a thin line, his eyes flicked away. "Hey, I know what could take your mind off it."

"What?" he asked suspiciously.

"Tell us about your past."

He whipped his head around to look at her fully. "And why should I do that?"

"Please, Gillick!" Riun pleaded. "It has to be awesome! I want to know! I want to know!"

"Keep it down!" Gillick hissed uneasily.

Riun lowered his voice. "Please?"

Mala nodded. "We hardly know anything about you."

"We hardly know anything about each other," Gillick countered, rolling his eyes.

Mala blinked in surprise at his response. Then she nodded. "Fine. My parents were killed when I was very young, and I was forced to live on the streets. I didn't really know what to do, so I joined up with a small band of other orphans like me. I learned how to steal from them." She shrugged. "Then a boy named Scree took over. He was a jerk, so I left. I ended up meeting a homeless old man who said he 'saw promise in me.' I brought him food, and he taught me how to use a bow." She gestured to the weapon. "Then…one day, he just…died." Sadness filled her gaze, but she quickly shook it away. "After that, I lived on my own. Until you helped me, that is." Her blue gaze rested on Gillick.

The black haired boy looked away. "That's…interesting," he commented, not knowing what else to say.

"I lived with my Mom and Dad," Riun began his story. "It was kind of boring, but we got to see Keybladers around town sometimes, which was cool. When you saved me and Mom from the Light Army Keybladers, it was the first time I'd seen a battle." Riun's eyes glittered. "You were so cool and so strong, I wanted to be just like you! So…I followed you."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," came the sarcastic reply.

"Funny how you're the one that connects our stories," Mala commented.

"Yeah…funny," Gillick muttered.

Awkward silence hung in the air for several moments. Mala finally broke it by saying, "So. We told you our stories. You tell us yours."

Gillick hesitated. What should he tell them? What _could_ he tell them? That Tollun made him a Keyblader? That he'd tried to fight the Knight when he was a kid? That he'd become so disillusioned with the Light Army he'd left for the Dark? That he'd nearly had to kill his brother to prove his loyalty, and for it had been stripped of his armor? …No. He couldn't tell him any of those things. He'd been careful to try and keep his past a secret, at least as much as he could. It would take someone he trusted above anyone else for him to reveal it. And he didn't trust these two enough.

…_They'd never believe me, anyways._

He looked up into their expected faces. Well, with some minor editing, there was one part of his life story he _could_ tell. "I traveled the world," he began carefully. He touched the hilt of the sword that rested beside him. "A man gave this to me to help me defend myself. After that, I decided to set out."

"What about your parents?" Mala questioned. "Did you have any?"

"Yeah, I did," Gillick replied. "I…left them behind when I was very young."

"How'd you learn to sword fight?" Riun asked eagerly.

Gillick shrugged. "You pick things up when you wield a weapon for a long time." It wasn't entirely a lie.

"And…Trevor…?" Mala hesitated, eyes shadowed. "I mean, how did he feel when you left? Why did you…have to fight him?" "You think I really want to relive that?" he snapped, hoping the excuse was enough. Mala looked startled, but her mouth clamped shut. Her eyed her a few moments more, watching for a protest. When none was forthcoming, he continued. "I saw a lot of the area that's guarded by the Keybladers," he said, choosing his words carefully. "I even ran into the Knight once, when I was younger."

"That's why you said the figure was familiar," Mala murmured, more to herself to anyone else.

Gillick answered anyways. "Yeah." He shook his head, trying not to think too much about the event. "After that, though, I began to travel farther. The area guarded by Keybladers may be big, but the world is even bigger. I saw places…where there were no Keybladers at all."

This caused both Mala and Riun to gasp. "No Keybladers?" Riun exclaimed.

Gillick nodded. "It was strange at first, but…also a relief." He clenched his fists. "They lived differently, and yet…weren't so different from us. There were people of all shapes, sizes, colors…some weren't even people, really, but talking animals." He laughed at the stupidity of what he'd just said. His laughter seemed to startle the two before him. Not surprising; he rarely laughed anymore. "I know it sounds crazy," he commented, "but it's true. There were even people out there who could use magic without the Keyblade."

"But…how is that…?" Mala trailed off.

"One tribe I met believed that spirits gave them the power. Another thought the power came from adaptation. But the answer I'm most likely to believe is the last one given to me." He paused before continuing. "I was told that, when the Keyblades were created in our area of the world, the powerful magic that was used in their creation spread out across the entire world. It wasn't far reaching enough to bring the Keyblade to everyone, but the energy allowed some people to use magic."

He paused again, thinking about all he'd learned in his travels. There wasn't any possible way he could sum everything up into one neat little story. So he skipped over most of it. "I needed to make a living, so I became a bounty-hunter, sometimes acting as a mercenary when I had no other choice." He shrugged. "After I'd traveled for a while, I decided…I want to come back home." He sighed, amber eyes flickering with memories. "And that's when all this began."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter twenty - seven. Reviews are greatly appreciated!<em>


	28. Escaping an Assassin

_Here's chapter twenty - eight. Thank you Eddie Camp and Draconet for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty – Eight: Escaping an Assassin**

The assassin's eyes glittered as she looked at the town stretched out before her. "So," she hissed in a quiet voice, "this is where you've hidden yourself, is it?"

She hadn't anticipated that this boy would be so hard to track. She'd been doing her job for years; she'd had to in order to survive. Normally, she only had to track her quarry once. After that her target was as good as dead. She couldn't help but feel somewhat impressed that this 'Gillick Nogard' had managed to escape her the first time, no matter how close a call it was.

Since he'd taken a horse and ridden out into the storm, she'd had some trouble keeping up with him. He'd tried to through her off by sending the horse off one way while he went another; he didn't succeed. However, most of his tracks had been washed away, and that cost her precious time. But she'd been at this a while; eventually, she'd had enough clues to know where he had gone.

She pulled out a knife, flipping it absently in her hand. "Hmm," she murmured. "Now all that I have to do is figure out what building you're hiding in." She caught the knife by the blade, squeezing her hand around it. The metal cut into her skin, causing blood to seep out and color her hand crimson, the red liquid dripping between her fingers and onto the ground. "And then…you're mine."

**Gillick****'****s**eyes flickered as he watched his two companions. Another day had passed since he'd told them about his journeys across the world. Mala had seemed surprised that he'd seen so much, and hadn't spoken much since then. _If __only __she __knew,_ he thought, snorting. Riun, on the other hand, had seemed to expect this answer, and had latter stated, "Of course he's seen lots! Heroes go on journeys all the time." Which had led to another conversation about how he was _not_ a hero. As usual, the boy didn't believe him.

Mala and Riun were both in the broken down building now, with the later pestering the former about how she used her bow and arrows. Mala, for the most part, was succeeding in ignoring him as she peered out between the boards and into the streets.

Gillick twitched, looking around uneasily. _Damn __it. __How __long __before __we __can __get __moving?_ He tried stretching his arms above his head. Pain still pulsed along his body from his wounds, but it was getting better. He lowered his arms, slowly standing. He was immensely grateful that the dizziness he'd felt at earlier times wasn't present. He reached down and grabbed his scabbard, attaching it to his back before slowly pulling his sword out over his shoulder. He held it up with both hands, looking into the rune – marked metal. He took an experimental swing. _Not __bad,_ he thought. Nodding, he began moving into a short, three-strike combo. The movements pulled at his wounds and made him wince, but he was still able to finish the move.

He began to move into more complex sequences, slowly increasing his speed. He felt the pain increase, but instead of letting himself give into it, he allowed it to give him the will to continue. He released the sword with his left hand, moving into one-handed strikes and counter-strikes, twisting and turning as he hacked at imaginary enemies.

Finally he was forced to stop. The pain that raced along his body left him breathing hard, but a sense of satisfaction echoed in his heart. _It__'__s __not __as __good __as __it __should __be,_he admitted, _but __I __can __do __it._

He turned to find Mala glaring at him. He frowned as he slid his sword back in his sheath. "What?"

"You shouldn't be doing that," Mala informed him, crossing her arms.

Gillick rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about me," he growled at her.

"Your wounds haven't completely healed yet!" Mala protested.

"Keep it down!" Gillick hissed, glancing around nervously.

Mala was still frowning at him, but her voice was lowered as she responded, "Well they haven't."

"I know," Gillick snapped quietly, "but we can't just wait around until they do. That assassin could appear at any time, and if we're still here, we're probably dead." His fingers twitched as he clenched and unclenched his fists. "We can't afford to keep waiting here."

Mala sighed, but he could see in her eyes that she was going over what he'd said in her mind. "Maybe," she conceded finally.

"Maybe?" Gillick hissed in response. "There's no 'maybe' about it. We have to keep moving!"

"Yay!" Riun cried, jumping to his feet. "Are we finally going?"

"Hopefully," Gillick muttered. He began walking forward when a movement flickered in the corner of his eye. Amber eyes flicked to the shadows. Nothing stirred. Still… "We need to go."

"You said that already," Mala replied mutinously.

"No," he emphasized, "we need to go _now_."

Mala and Riun both let out yelps of alarm as he grabbed them and quickly ushered them forward. "Gillick! What are you doing?"

"Just keep-" He cut off his sentence and shoved the two of them to the ground when he heard a faint sound behind him. A knife whistled past where his neck would have been and landed with a thunk in the wood in front of them. Two pairs of eyes looked at the weapon in shock, one in fear. _Shit._ "Go!" Gillick barked, no longer bothering to try and keep his voice down. Instead he jerked abruptly upward.

He heard a quiet grunt of surprise, and realized the assassin had almost been upon him. His blood ran cold as he realized how close he'd come to dying. At least he'd managed to surprise her, and he hadn't felt the prick of any sort of weapon; instead, he heard it clatter to the floor, meaning that the knife she'd been trying to use had probably hit his scabbard. He whipped around jerking his sword from its sheath, but the assassin had disappeared.

It didn't seem fair, this striking from the shadows. He was used to fighting in close range battles with the power of swords and magic. This seemed almost underhanded, as if his opponent were cheating in some way. _Suck __it __up,_ he growled to himself. _That__'__s __the __way __it __is, __so __deal __with __it._

He backed up a few paces, closer to the exit. He didn't want to stick around here any longer than he had to.

He felt a tingling on the back of his neck, and whipped around in time to block two throwing knives aimed at him. He wasn't able to block a third, which was aimed at his leg. The slight pain that he felt pulse from the wound wasn't much, but he had a sinking feeling that the knife was more than it appeared.

His suspicions were confirmed when the assassin appeared in the doorway, smirking under her hood. "And now it's all over," she crooned.

"You poisoned the blade," Gillick commented flatly.

The assassin's smirk widened. "Of course I did. And now, all I have to do is wait for the poison to take effect, and take your lifeless body back to that 'goody-goody' Tollun to get my reward."

Something whistled through the air. The assassin quickly stepped to the side, but wasn't quick enough to avoid to arrow launched at her from behind. She whipped her head around to glare at her assailant with a furious hissed.

Mala was standing in the doorway, another arrow knocked and aimed at the assassin. "You think assassins are the only ones who know how to strike from the shadows?" she hissed.

Riun appeared from behind her, rushing towards Gillick. The assassin quickly lunged for him, ignoring the arrow Mala shot at her. In desperation, Gillick through his sword. _That_ she was forced to stop for, allowing Riun to make it past. "What do you think you're doing?" Gillick hissed to the boy as he stooped to pull the knife from his leg.

Riun held up a small pot filled with salve. "Mala got it from a store. She said the assassin might be using posion, so we should get some antidote."

"Ok," Gillick commented, "but is it the right kind?"

Riun shrugged. "Mala said it worked for the common posions."

"I just hope it's common, then," Gillick muttered darkly as the boy rubbed the salve on the wound.

"You little rat!" Gillick and Riun both jerked their heads up to see the assassin and Mala glaring at each other. "You ruined it!"

Mala still had her bow raised, an arrow quivering on it. She was losing her nerve. "Riun. Gillick. Hurry."

"Save your breath, girl," the assassin snapped, drawing out a knife. "You'll need it."

Without thinking, Gillick jumped to his feet and slammed his body against the assassin's. He grimaced as pain lanced through him, but felt a rush of satisfaction at hearing the assassin's grunt of surprise and the sound of the knife falling to the wooden floor. He slipped away and grabbed his sword. "Riun! Come on!"

"Ok!" the boy called, rushing towards him.

The assassin lunged upwards as he raced past. "Stop right there!" she hissed, dagger drawn.  
>"Riun!" Mala called in alarm. The boy looked at the woman lunging for him, fear flickering in his eyes. He closed his eyes tightly, stretching his hands out…<p>

…and all of a sudden, the assassin's clothes were burning.

Both Mala and Gillick stared in astonishment as the assassin screamed, flames licking her body. "What…just happened?" Mala whispered.

"And the Keyblades caused magic to seep into the land," Gillick muttered, repeating a phrase he'd heard many times while he'd been traveling. He shook himself out of his thoughts. "Come on," he hissed. "We can worry about everything latter. Right now, we need to go."

Mala glanced at him and gave him a quick nod. Then she ran towards the frightened boy, coaxing him onto her back. The trio quickly hurried out of the old building.

"Where are we going?" Mala asked.

"Let's find a cart to ride away on," Gillick responded. "It'll be faster than walking, and I want to put as much distance between us and that assassin as possible."

**Night**has fallen over the land. Mala, Gillick, and Riun were hidden in the back of a cart of goods that was rocking as it rolled down the road. They had, thankfully, seen no sign of the assassin since leaving the town.

Mala glanced over at her two companions. She looked at the sleeping form of Riun, and wondered at the fact that he could use magic. The boy had never shown any sign of being able to use magic, so his actions in the old building surprised her. _I __think __it __surprised __him, __too, _she thought, remembering how shell-shocked the boy had been. It was going to be interesting for all of them to see where this led.

She looked at her other sleeping companion. Gillick was sitting with his back propped up against the wall, hardly visible in the darkness. But Mala felt a faint smile tugging at her lips. She remembered how shocked she'd been when she'd discovered that Trevor still believed in him; she'd only helped Gillick out for the sake of his brother. And yet…she was beginning to see some reasons why Trevor might still care for his older sibling. True, he was foul-tempered, withdrawn, and stubborn, but…he'd shown real understanding and compassion when advising her about Trevor, and had protected her and Riun when the assassin had attacked. Maybe he wasn't the easiest person to get along with…but maybe there was hope for him, after all. _Maybe __you__'__re __right, __Riun, _she thought. _Maybe __he __can __become __a __hero, __after __all._

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><p><em>And that's the end of chapter twenty – eight. Review?<em>


	29. Training

_This is chapter twenty - nine. Thank you DaniPotterLovesGod, Black Wolf XIII, caitlinkeitorin, and Thaumaturgic Adversary for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Twenty - Nine: Training**

By the time the assassin had managed to put out the fire that raged along her body, her quarry had escaped. She cursed under her breath. _He escaped me a second time._ If he had been alone, or if she had been more careful, she would've had him. He was weak; she should've been able to kill him. But she'd grown overconfident, and that girl had managed to surprise her. Then she'd let her anger get the best of her.

And then there was that kid. He hadn't seemed like a threat at all. But then…he'd set her on fire. _How could he use magic?_ she asked herself.

She wasn't used to failing.

She didn't like it.

The assassin slowly tried to stand. She winced with pain. The fire had burned through most of her clothes and left behind its marks on her skin. "Damn it," she growled.

She remained still for several moments, turning over her options. She could go after them straight away, but, considering the condition she was currently in, that would be a poor choice. She could wait until she was fully recovered, but that would be even worse; she'd have to start the job completely from scratch. Of course, she could ditch the job, but that would ruin her reputation.

"I'll have to compromise," she decided. Rest for a few days, get new clothes and some burn ointment, then head off after Gillick and his two little companions. It was the best option she had at this point.

She slowly moved forward, cursing with each step. _I can't wait to feel my blades sinking into their wretched flesh._ As she slowly slunk out of the building, she began to formulate all the horrible things she could inflict on the trio, reveling in gory images that filled her mind.

She noticed something was wrong the moment she entered the alley. _There's darkness in the air._ It was stifling; it felt almost like it was going to crush her. And she knew that, in her current condition, she didn't have time to get away.

When the Corridor of Darkness opened, she stood up as straight as she could, lifting her chin and narrowing her eyes at the man who soon stood before her. "It seems odd that someone with so many injuries should be wandering an alley, doesn't it?" the man remarked, eyes hidden behind his hair.

She glared at him. "What's it to you, sheep dog?"

She imagined one eyebrow was raised behind the overly-long bangs. "Clever," he conceded to her, "but I'm not here to trade banter."

"Then why are you here, Shep?" She was probably digging herself a grave, but she got the feeling she'd be better off dead than listening to what this man had to say.

"I am Viril," he corrected, a slight edge to his voice, "the leader of the Dark Army."

"I didn't know a mutt could lead Keybladers."

"Enough." This man, this 'leader', sounded like he was finally getting agitated. She thought she could see a flicker of red behind his bangs. Or was she just imagining it? "You're to come with me."

She felt her blood run cold at the command, but she kept her farce as she responded, "Oh, _really_? I _am_, am I?"

"Do you imagine you have a choice?"

That was when she decided on a course of action. She jerked the knife on her wrist, cutting it open. Then the hilt fell into her waiting palm and she lunged forward, intended to stab the man with it. She may not be able to kill him in her condition, but she wouldn't go down without a fight.

Viril quickly ducked away from her, catching her arm and twisting it. Her breath hissed out between her teeth, but she didn't care so much about the pain; at the rate her wrist was bleeding, she wouldn't have to wait too long before she bled to death.

Then green light coated her arm, and the gash closed, the supply of blood cut off.

The assassin blinked in surprise at the act, then narrowed her eyes. _Keybladers can use magic, _she thought darkly. There was no way she could get out of this. She couldn't even take her own life. "Now," Viril said slowly, "are you going to come with me?"

At this point, she didn't really have much choice.

**Gillick, **Mala, and Riun road in the cart until they reached the next town. During the few days that passed, they made sure to keep themselves from being seen, ducking out of the cart every time it stopped for the night, and jumping back in every morning. They rarely said anything to each other during the times when they were away from the cart, and never spoke at all when they were inside it. Gillick couldn't help but feel relieved at that.

He was relieved to find that he felt no effects of the poison. The ointment Mala had stolen must've worked. And, more than that, it was hurting him less and less to move. Each night he would withdraw his sword and move slowly through various different imaginary battle sequences, testing which movements he could perform and how fast he could perform them. He had to move at a painstakingly slow pace for the more complex attacks, and some he still couldn't perform at all, but he could perform the simple movements which much greater ease and speed than before. It wasn't pretty, and could easily get him killed if he faced a tough opponent, but it was a step in the right direction.

When he wasn't testing and pushing the current limitations of his body, he was thinking. He tried his best not to think about the things from his past that kept wanting to leap into his mind like hungry lions. He thought quite a bit about the assassin, wondering if she were still alive and, if she was, how soon it would be before she found them. He thought about what had happened several nights ago on the new moon, and hesitantly tried to piece together the fragments of his memory and what Mala told him. On the surface, he couldn't make sense of it, and he never quite dared to push further.

However, the thing at the forefront of his mind was Riun's magic.

He'd been turning over this point a lot, trying to decide the best course of action. Before, the kid had simply seemed like a nuisance. His display of magic against the assassin had changed things. _'When the Keyblades were released, magic seeped into the land. It gave birth to all sorts of amazing creatures. Occasionally, it rises from the earth and enters a person, but it doesn't alter them physically. No, it allows them to use various special abilities that normal humans can't perform, much like the Keyblades do.'_ That was what the old tribal shaman had said. She'd said she'd seen a few such people from her own tribe with these abilities. Gillick had never met one…until now.

If Riun could use magic, then he would have to learn how to control it, for several reasons. One was that it would be foolish to waste such a powerful gift. If Riun could use magic, then he'd be better able to protect himself, and wouldn't need either Gillick or Mala to protect him as much. Which meant that - hopefully - Gillick would be rid of both of them sooner.

The other reason was the fact that, if he didn't learn to control his abilities, then he could end up accidentally releasing them. Not only would that attract unwanted attention and cause unneeded extra danger, but during his travels he'd discovered several places that despised anyone who could use magic without a Keyblade. If Riun were to reveal he was one such person, then it could end badly for all three of them…especially since Gillick had never seen anyone around these parts of the world use magic except for Keybladers.

And the Knight. He'd almost forgotten the creature. Thinking about all the discrimination against magic users made him wonder if the Knight wasn't human, after all; if it was a mage who'd become sick of watching the world poke fun at it and its brethren.

Regardless of the issues of the Knight, training Riun would involve him having to delve into magic. Once being a Keyblader, he had extensive experience with it. However, like the weapon, he hadn't touched the subject for two years, and had no inclination to now. After all, the only reason _he_ could use magic was because of that cursed weapon.

But Riun would still need training. Teaching him without revealing he could use magic too could prove…tricky.

When the trio finally slipped off the cart and into the next town, they walked slowly through the streets. Mala looked nervous walking so openly in broad daylight. Gillick felt slightly uncomfortable, but was never going to admit that. Riun was bouncing cheerfully beside them, taking in everything with wonder.

Gillick's eyes strayed to an inn. He nodded towards it, saying, "Let's go in there."

Mala shot him an odd look. "Why? It's still daylight, and we don't need to waste our munny."

"Because we need to talk," Gillick responded. Without waiting for a reply, he stalked towards the building.

He sat down at a table in the far corner once he entered. A few other people huddled around the room, but they paid him no notice. Mala and Riun walked headed towards him from the doorway. Riun looked curious, and Mala looked ill at ease. When they'd both taken their seats, the thief girl blurted, "What's going on? Why did you need to talk to us?"

Gillick was about to answer when another voice interrupted him. "Anything to eat and drink, sirs and madam?"

"No," Gillick said firmly. "We're fine." Mala glared at him for answering for all of them, and Riun looked as if he were about to protest, but the man interrupted before either could make a comment.

"Why, I don't believe it!" The man peered closer at him, and Gillick's amber eyes shifted to glare at him. "Gillick? Gillick Nogard?"

His eyes widened. _Shit._ A remaining memory from his days as a Keyblader. "Keep it down," Gillick hissed, finally looking at him full on.

The man shook his head in amazement. "It's been forever since I've seen you around. I heard-"

He was cut off when Gillick slapped a hand over his mouth. He leaned closer and whispered to the man, "If you value your life you'll keep quiet." The man's eyes widened, but he didn't make another sound.

"Do you two know each other?" Mala asked, sounding suspicious.

"Oh, yeah," Gillick muttered dryly. "We're _good friends_."

The man took his warning to heart and nodded vigorously. "Yeah, it's just been…so long." He looked nervously at the former Keyblader before quickly heading off. Gillick continued to watch him, making sure he was really leaving. He didn't think many people would remember him, but apparently his image had lingered in a few people's memories. _I wonder what I did,_ he thought, _to be remembered by that man. And I wonder what he's heard._ He had a hard time imagining that the Armies would let slip that he'd deserted and become armor-less.

…They'd probably told anyone who cared enough to ask that he'd been killed.

"Didn't you want to talk to us?" Mala queried.

He whipped his head back around to face her. "Riun needs training in magic," he whispered quickly.

"What?" Mala yelped in surprise.

"Yes!" Riun whooped simultaneously.

"Keep it down," Gillick growled.

"But…why does he need training?" Mala protested.

"Do you think it'd be a better idea to let him go without it?" Gillick retorted.

She stopped to think about it for a few moments before shaking her head. "But who's going to train him?"

"I will."

She looked at him in surprise while Riun's grin grew to an incredible size. "You?" Mala sputtered incredulously. "What do you know about magic?"

"I've done a lot of traveling," he dodged. "I'll be able to teach him better than you, and we can't afford to trust anyone else."

That she had no argument for.

"You're really going to teach me?" Riun asked, eyes glittering. He seemed to be over the fact that he was suddenly in the possession of strange inhuman powers.

Gillick nodded. "Tomorrow," he growled, "your training begins."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter twenty - nine. Please review?<em>


	30. Traveling

_So, this is updated a day early because I'm going to states today with my cross country team (wish us luck), and won't be back until late tomorrow night or early Sunday morning. So…enjoy?_

_Thank you Bond of Flame08 and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty: Traveling**

"Gillick!"

One amber eye flicked open. "What is it, Riun?" the older boy asked tiredly.

Riun looked at him plaintively, excitement burning in his eyes. "You said you'd teach me stuff today!"

Gillick snorted, eyes shifted towards the window. "It's not even light out yet," he commented.

After their conversation the day before, the trio had caved and decided to stay in the inn for the night. Mala, however, had been adamant about not spending money on food. At this point, Gillick didn't really care enough to complain.

"Yeah, but but but…!"

"No buts," Gillick responded. "I'll teach you after we leave."

"Then why don't we get going?"

He jumped in surprise at the new voice, and whipped his head around to see Mala standing in the doorway. "You're up, too?" She nodded. Gillick rolled his eyes skyward, muttering, "Doesn't anyone sleep around here?"

"Aren't we supposed to be running from an assassin?" Mala asked, her voice sickly sweet.

Gillick sighed in exasperation. "Fine. I'm up."

Not much later the trio were leaving the inn and walking down the road in the darkness of the night. It wasn't until they left the town far behind that Gillick turned his attention to Riun. "What do you know about magic?" he demanded immediately.

Riun hesitated, apparently startled by the question. "Um…Keybladers use it."

When he was silent for several moments, Gillick prompted, "Anything else?"

"Well…what you told us you learned from other people," Riun added. "I know that some magic is used to attack, and some to heal." He shivered, and continued in a small, quite voice. "The Knight used attack magic."

Gillick nodded. "It's a start, anyways." He paused, thinking. How was he going to do this…?

"Well, 'Master'?" Mala prompted, amusement filling her voice. "Aren't you going to start teaching him?"

"I'm getting there!" Gillick snapped. He inhaled deeply and turned back to Riun, choosing his next words carefully. "From what I learned and saw during my travels, magic is based on the individual. How much of it you can use depends on how much 'magical power' you have stored up inside you. When you drain all that power, you have to wait until it restores itself to use magic again. This means you have to be careful about how much and when you use magic when fighting."

He could sense Mala's surprise at his knowledge of the subject, and hoped he hadn't said to much. Riun, however, seemed to take it in stride and nodded vigorously. "So, someone like the Knight must have a _lot_ of magical power."

"Probably," Gillick conceded.

"So…the Keyblade gives magical power to people, but other people just have it naturally, right?"

"From what I know," Gillick confirmed.

"Is it different for Keybladers to use magic than other people who can, then?"

"How should I know?" Gillick spluttered, though he brought up and excellent point. How different _were_ the two types of magic users? He hoped not too much, or else teaching Riun would just be that much more difficult. "Look, what I _do_ know on that subject is that Keybladers will a lot of times channel their magic through their Keyblades." _Because it's easier,_ he added silently. "Other magic users, however, don't have that option."

Riun nodded again. "Ok, so, what do I do?"

Gillick paused again. How to answer this without giving anything away…? …He hoped the pause would make it seem like he was less knowledgeable in magic than he actually was.

"Well," he said finally, "from what it sounds like, you'll have to reach for this magical power and channel it somehow."

"Ok!"

Mala seemed nervous. "Gillick, are you sure this is a good i-"

Her words turned into a startled cry of surprise as fire erupted in a giant blaze from Riun's hand. "Turn it down!" Gillick barked in alarm.

"How?" Riun asked in dismay.

"Cut down on the magical power!" Instantly, the fire dissipated, a few stubborn embers blinking in the night before fading into oblivion.

"Ok," Gillick growled, "maybe before we try that again, I should tell you about spells."

"Spells?" Riun queried.

Gillick nodded. "Spells are how magic is released. There are elemental spells, such as Fire, healing spells, such as Cure, and effect spells, such as Stop. Most spells can gain higher levels of power as a person trains. What you just used is a 'Fira' spell, which is the second stage of a Fire spell."

"Cool!" Riun exclaimed, sounding excited by thee fact that he could already use a higher level spell.

Gillick snorted. "Don't get too excited, kid; higher level spells may be more powerful, but they take more from you. And, for the record, you usually can't stop them in the middle of an attack."

Riun nodded. "So, can I use anything else?"

"You'd know that better than me," Gillick responded in mild agitation. "But I'm guessing that, at the moment, you only have fire based spells."

The sky had steadily been growing brighter as they talked. As the sun peeked over the horizon, Gillick suppressed a sigh. _This is going to be a long journey…_

**The **assassin looked around the area Viril had taken her to suspiciously. "Humph. A bit _dark_, isn't it?"

"I thought assassins liked the darkness," Viril responded dryly.

"Oh, we do," she agreed. "But who would've thought the 'defenders of the world' would live in someplace so well hidden in it. Hiding something, hmmm?"

Viril seemed a bit agitated by this comment. He carried her forward, either not trusting her not to try running away/committing suicide and murder, or not believing she'd be able to walk where he wanted her to go on her own.

…He was probably right not to trust her on both regards.

He opened a cell and tossed her in. The assassin looked at him with a glare. He snapped his fingers, and another person appeared next to him. "Here are some clothes," Viril said as the other Keyblader through them in beside her. Then he shut the door and left.

"Aren't you even going to tell me why I'm here?" the assassin barked. She got no answer.

She sighed, slipping on the ragged burlap clothing. 'Rags' was a more apt name. She felt more naked without her weapons, truthfully, than without clothes. She had thoughts about killing herself, but quickly reminded herself that she still had a target wandering around. _I can't die,_ she decided, _until I've killed him._

"Hello. Who are you?"

The assassin whipped her head around and saw a girl staring at her through the bars of her cell. "What's it to you?" she responded harshly.

The girl recoiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you!" she stammered. "But I've been alone for a while, and…"

The assassin sighed. She was trapped here as much as she was…or was she? Was this actually an elaborate trap?

…She didn't know, but if it was, she didn't want to be caught in it.

"My name is Allia," she informed the girl tartly, "and that's all you'll be getting from me."

"Nice to meet you, Allia," the girl said cheerfully. "My name's Cheeka."

"Cheeka?" Allia barked out in laughter. "What kind of name is that?" Cheeka looked embarrassed. "I-I know it's a funny name, but…it's my name."

Despite her reservations, Allia found herself liking the girl. Not enough to reveal much, of course, but enough to think it may not be so bad to be stuck in this cell for a while longer. _Which is good, _she thought, _because I have a feeling I'm going to be miserable after I leave…_

**The **days seemed to blur together as Gillick, Mala, and Riun traveled together. Each day Gillick talked to Riun about magic, and tried to teach him about how to use his newfound talent. Riun was making progress; slowly, but he was. The rest of the time was spent either looking for food, sleeping, or looking for Silver.

During everything, Mala found herself feeling a bit left out. She didn't know much about magic, and she wasn't all that interested in finding Silver…especially not just so Gillick could kill her. She was good at finding food, at least; her skills with a bow and arrow allowed her to shoot game and bring it make to her comrades. Riun usually made the fire now, as practice for his magic, though usually a good supply of water was kept nearby.

She'd listen a lot when Gillick talked to Riun about magic. She found the subject fascinating, and was surprised by how much the boy knew about it. She knew he'd said he'd done a lot of traveling, but…she hadn't been sure she'd believed him before. Though still somewhat wary of him, and still not overly fond of him, she was beginning to grow more and more curious of this amber-eyed boy.

His eyes were just another mystery to him. She knew what an eye color like his meant; she'd heard it from many, many people, whether they were speaking directly to her or speaking to others in her vicinity. Amber eyes meant that a person had been infused with darkness, the affect of it changing their physical appearance. She wondered how, then, Gillick's eyes had become that shade, and if that was the reason he and Trevor had ended up fighting. After all, Trevor was a Keyblader for the Light Army.

Maybe Gillick had gone to darkness because Trevor was a Keyblader and he wasn't. Maybe he'd gotten jealous, but after beating Trevor had been ashamed. Maybe that was why he'd gone on his travels around his world. And maybe it was part of the reason he hated Keybladers so much.

…But she wasn't getting anywhere by guessing. She'd tried asking him about the subject again, but he'd dodged the questions she threw at him.

Riun was much easier to understand and much more willing to talk. He was always excited about anything new he learned in magic, and was quick to show her. He could only do two spells at this point - Fire and Fira - but he seemed quite proud of them. Mala would smile, happy for him, and glad he was a bit more open than their other companion.

But she still couldn't help hoping that Gillick would finally open up and reveal who he really was, instead of hiding himself behind his façade. Because, even though he may claim that he's no hero, he had the faith of both Trevor and Riun. And…he was starting to gain her faith, as well.

**The **woman looked over her soldiers from where she stood above them. They milled around the camp, the daily activity a comforting sight. The camp was temporary, of course; they couldn't afford to stay in one place long.

"Your orders, Silver?" The woman lifted her head slightly at the voice, her green eyes glinting. "Did the ambush go as planned?"

"Yes, ma'am. All targets dead."

"Good." Silver closed her eyes briefly. "Now is the best time for us to begin packing up. People will start asking questions, and we don't want to be anywhere nearby when they do."

"Of course, ma'am."

She stood in silence as her warrior left to relay her orders. She watched as the camp was quickly disassembled. She lifted her head to the sky, the wind blowing around her and sending her short hair flying.

She was Silver, and below her were her loyal warriors, the Silver Fang.

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><p><em>That's it for chapter thirty. Review?<em>


	31. Magic and Sword

_This is chapter thirty - one. Thank you the Twilight's Shad0w and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - One: Magic and Sword**

"Can I learn any more spells?"

Gillick groaned, rolling his eyes. This question had cropped up fairly often after Riun had begun learning magic…and Gillick replied with the same answer as always. "You haven't mastered the two spells you _do_ know yet!"

"But I will!" Riun protested.

Gillick narrowed his eyes. "But you _haven't yet_. Besides, what makes you think I know how to teach spells?" He was still trying to be careful about how much information he gave the boy and Mala.

"Because…you're a hero?"

"Is that your answer to everything?" One of Gillick's eyes twitched. He could only tolerate people for so long before he got agitated, and he tolerated these two for far longer than he normally did.

"You _are_ teaching him how to control his magic," Mala pointed out mildly.

He shot her a glare. "Did I ask for your opinion?"

Mala shrugged, not meeting his gaze. "No, but I gave it anyways."

Gillick frowned at her. She'd been acting strange lately, and he wasn't sure why. He almost asked her what was wrong, then stopped himself. _Better not to get involved in other people's business,_ he decided. Though he was getting along better with his two companions than he did with most others, he still wasn't entirely comfortable around them, and though he was sometimes curious on their thoughts, he was never curious enough to pry into them.

Besides, he was too busy trying to teach Riun magic and search for Silver to bother too much with them.

The thought of the woman he was tracking brought about another eye twitch. _Silver._ She was proving frustratingly difficult to find. If his pride had allowed it, he would've quit long ago and found someone easier to hunt down. But, of course, it hadn't. So he was stuck looking for the woman, and finding himself growing increasingly aggravated.

He halted suddenly. "Let's take a break."

Two pairs of surprised eyes turned to look back at him. "Did…you just say 'let's take a break'?" Mala asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Gillick growled in response, amber eyes flashing. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Uh, no," Mala responded quickly, blinking in surprise. "You just…surprised me."

He snorted. "Whatever." He drew his sword, stalking away by himself.

He walked until a copse of trees hid him from Mala and Riun. Then he began the dance of the sword.

After the period of time he'd spent healing and all the practice he'd put himself through, he was almost completely back to his normal speed. He cut and arc through the air, relishing the feel of the sword in his hand. The point of his sword touched the grass before he quickly swung it up and out. He allowed his momentum to carry him around in a spin, as if forcing multiple enemies back, before delivering a powerful slash. He ducked low and kicked out with his legs, balancing briefly on his hands as he spun around. He sprang back to an upright position he jerked his sword upward, the blade stretched straight out. The move would've gutted his opponent all the way up through their skull.

From there Gillick proceeded into a simply three-strike combo, then proceeded instantly into another. Then he jabbed the tip of his sword into the ground, jumping and kicking out. He jerked his sword free before he landed. When his feet hit ground, he immediately crouched low and swung his sword in a low arc. He sprang powerfully upwards, bringing his sword high above his head and bringing it down with powerful force to the ground. The blade cut several inches into the earth, but Gillick didn't let it stay imbedded long; he jerked it free and spun part way around, lifting the sword in an upward arc that would decapitate an enemy's head.

He didn't know how long he went on like that, slashing and spinning and lunging, rejoicing in the feel of holding a sword. He even appreciated the slight pain that pulsed from his wounds, and the ache of fatigue; a little pain, after all, was a good thing.

He finally stopped, the tip of his sword resting on the ground as he bent over, panting. Then he jabbed the tip of his weapon into the soft ground and slowly lowered himself down beside it. He rested one hand across his leg and lowered his head, slowly closing his eyes.

Without his companions or the search for Silver or his training to distract him, Gillick found his mind wandering to other things. Chiefly among them, as it had so often been after he'd returned to his homeland, was his past. He exhaled slowly as he recalled his fierce battle with Trevor years ago; the battle that had both doomed him and saved him. "No matter what I do," he murmured, opening his eyes slightly, "I'm never going to escape my past."

"And what about it are you so anxious to escape?"

Startled, Gillick jumped to his feet and spun around, jerking his sword from the ground in one smooth movement. Mala stood before him, giving him a curious look. "What are you doing here?"

"You were gone for a while, so I came looking for you," she responded with a shrug.

Gillick snorted. "Oh, really?" he replied disbelievingly. "You were just _so worried_ about me."

Mala's blue eyes narrowed. "Mock all you want, but it's true."

"Whatever," Gillick muttered, straightening and sheathing his sword.

Mala turned partly away, then shot him a sidelong glance. "What about your past _are _you running from?" she tried again.

"It's none of your business," Gillick responded, stalking past her.

"Why not?" she protested, jogging to catch up with him. "We're traveling together now, aren't we?"

"That doesn't mean you have the right to pry into my life," Gillick snapped at her. "I didn't ask you about what's been wrong with you, now did I?"

He realized too late what he'd said, and he saw her eyes flicker with surprise. "Because you were just _so worried_ about me?" she asked quietly, though the words didn't hold the same mocking his had.

He snorted. "You're imagining things," he informed her.

She rolled her eyes at his response, but made no other comment.

Riun raced up to them as they came into his plane of vision. "Are you going to help me with magic now?"

Gillick sighed, rolling his eyes. "Sure, kid. Whatever." Riun jumped for joy, causing the older boy a prick or irritation. "Don't you _ever_ calm down?" he growled.

"Why should I when I'm excited?" Riun responded, grinning.

Gillick's eye twitched. _Here we go again…_

**After **several days of being stuck in her cell without anything happening, Allia was quickly growing bored. "If they're going to capture us, they could at least do something with us," she grumbled.

Cheeka glanced nervously across at her from her cell. "Are you sure you want them to?"

"It's better than waiting around and wondering," Allia replied sourly.

"Well…maybe," Cheeka consented slowly.

Allia's head whipped around as she felt an oppressive darkness coming towards them. Not as deep as Viril's darkness, but powerful, nonetheless. "Who are you?" she barked, jerking upright.

"You noticed me?" a voice answered. "That's impressive." And into the faint torchlight stepped a man.

Allia frowned at him, a silently berated herself for her mistake. "I'm an assassin," she scoffed with mock confidence. "That's what I do."

"Maybe it is," the man agreed, a dark smirk playing on his lips. "Why not make this meeting a bit more informal? My name is Xuren." Her looked to her, the flickering of his amber eyes implying that he expected her to reply in kind.

"I'm somebody," she responded tartly, spitting at him.

He drew back, at first looking angry at her reaction, before his face contorted into sadistic amusement. "Stubborn. Now, I'm the one in charge of getting information out of you." Xuren's eyes glittered with a wild, insane fire. Allia tensed. She'd seen that look before; those who wore it couldn't be trusted. They were unpredictable, with sadism lacing their veins. She didn't like the idea of being interrogated by this man. "Answer me, and I'll let you go."

_Oh, will you, now?_ She kept the thought to herself, even though she could tell he was lying.

"Why don't we start with how you knew I was here?" Xuren queried.

"That's none of your beeswax!" the assassin informed him. It was a secret she'd kept close to her, ever since she was little; she could feel the amount of darkness and light from within their wielders. Most average people didn't use either of the elements regularly, so she was unable to sense them. However, Keybladers often used one or the other extensively, and, depending on the amount they used, she could feel the power of their presence from different distances. The darkness was oppressive and ominous; the light was just as oppressive and hot. It was always unnerving to find herself in the company of someone such as Viril or Tollun, who used their elements so often that their power nearly had a physical effect on her.

And then there was the case of Gillick Nogard. He was…odd. From him, she'd felt what could best be considered a combination between the two elements; an ominous heat, but without any of the oppressiveness that normally accompanied them. It made her curious.

The thoughts flitted through her mind in only a few instants. It was a good thing, because Xuren was soon moving on to his next question. "Fine; whatever it is, it doesn't matter to us. But what does matter is what you know about something called the X-blade."

At this, Allia was genuinely puzzled. "The Keyblade?" she scoffed. "And here I thought Keybladers were supposed to know all about their weapons."

"Not the Keyblade!" Xuren snapped. "The _X _- blade!"

"You're saying the exact same thing!" Allia snapped back at him.

Xuren narrowed his eyes, fury dancing in their depths. "We'll talk later," he promised her. "I was told I couldn't play with you yet." Here he let a sadistic smirk cross his face, his eyes gleaming, before he spun on his heel and strode out of the dungeon.

"**This **is ridiculous," Gillick growled under his breath.

Another day had passed, with still no sign of Silver. Mala shrugged in nonchalance. "Maybe she's hiding from you," she teased.

He shot her a glare. "Don't," he warned her.

She flinched then sighed, lowering her gaze. "Just trying to lighten the mood," she muttered.

"We could practice my magic!" Riun said, leaping to his feet.

"Fine," Gillick muttered. Even though the trio had stopped to rest for a while in a small clearing, he'd found himself pacing back and forth across it, anxious to be on their way again. Perhaps working with Riun would take his mind off things.

He walked a little distance away with the boy, then spun around and faced him, commanding, "Cast Fire."

Riun did so quickly, calling out "Fire!" as he did. A small ball of fire flew from his hand towards a rock, where it dissipated.

Gillick nodded with approval; the ball of fire was fairly well formed and controlled. "Now Fira."

Riun concentrated harder. "Fira!"

The result was a larger fireball that ended up exploding in the boy's face. He fell to the ground with a cry of surprise. "Try again," Gillick commanded.

Riun nodded. "Mm-kay."

This had become routine for them: every time Riun failed, Gillick would tell him to try again. Fire was a simple spell, and had been easy for the boy to master. Fira was a bit more complicated, and would take more time. Until the boy learned it, Gillick was forcing himself to be patient with him.

_But what happens after he perfects the spell?_ That he had no answer for. Then, Riun would want other spells to learn. Gillick could teach them to him…but not without the risk of his companions learning he could use magic or, worse, learning that he had once been a Keyblader. And that wasn't something he was going to let happen any time soon.

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter thirty - one. Please review?<em>


	32. Silver

_This is chapter thirty - two. Thank you Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - Two: Silver**

Silver looked behind her and surveyed her warriors. All looked worn from traveling, but a determined look glittered in their eyes. She gave a small nod of approval. She prided the Silver Fang warriors as being able to move quickly and quietly, leaving little trace of their presence behind.

"Miss Silver, will we be setting up camp soon?"

The blond woman looked to the man who'd spoken. "Yes," she confirmed. "From there, we'll be scouting the immediate area."

The man nodded. "Of course, Miss Silver."

She turned to begin heading out once more, but paused on reflection and added, "If you see any of _them_, please contact me before attacking."

The man seemed surprised by this. "Do you even need to say that, Miss Silver? We would never do something like that."

Silver snorted. "_You _might not," she conceded, "and many other of our older members, but the newer ones can be too rash for my liking." She gave him a pointed look. "Make sure they don't do anything stupid."

The man nodded an affirmative. "Yes, Miss Silver."

The Silver Fang continued walking, and Silver's mind was filled with a grim determination. This was the path that she had to take, and she wasn't about to let herself make a mistake.

"**Come **on, Gillick, please?"

Gillick's eye twitched. "I already said no, Riun."

"But-"

"NO!"

Mala snorted, rolling her eyes at them. "You could at least _attempt_ to teach him a little," she suggested to Gillick.

He shot her an amber-eyed glare. "If you think so, you do it."

Her blue eyes flared in response. "I don't know anything about magic!"

"Then shut up."

Similar conversations had been going on throughout the majority of the day. Riun, who desperately wanted to learn more magic than the Fire and Fira spells he already knew, had initiated things by asking Gillick about it. Gillick had declined, Mala had prodded him to be a good teacher, and so on.

It was wearing on Gillick's last nerve.

Added to the annoyance of Riun's pestering was the fact that they still hadn't found Silver. If he weren't reluctantly traveling with two other people, he wouldn't have minded this fact so much. As it was, he felt he could hardly hear himself think.

"Are you two keeping your eyes open for Silver?" he asked Riun and Mala.

"Of course," Mala informed him, sounding offended.

"Um…" Riun trailed off, looking awkward.

"Yeah, I thought not," Gillick growled at Riun's answer.

A rustling in the bushes nearby caught his attention. He reached over his shoulder and jerked his sword out of its scabbard just in time to block a sword strike from a person jumping from his hiding spot. He forced the man - or rather boy - back, slashing at his sword arm. The boy let out a yelp of surprise and pain as the flat of Gillick's blade rapped his wrist, causing him to lose his weapon. He scrambled for the item, but Mala quickly planted a foot on it.

Gillick pointed his sword at the boy's head. "Get off the ground," he ordered.

The boy slowly stood, eyes blazing, and spat at Gillick's feet. "Bastard."

"I'm not the one attacking people for no reason."

Mala couldn't seem to resist commenting. "Well…"

"Shut up, Mala." He gave her a glare. "I won't kill someone without a good reason." He turned his amber eyes towards the boy. "But you've given me a pretty damn good reason to. So tell me," here he moved his blade towards the boy's chest, touching it against his shirt and pressing slightly, "why shouldn't I kill you?"

Mala looked as uncomfortable as the boy. "Gillick…"

He twisted the blade. "Well?"

The boy swallowed hard but, to his credit, didn't back down. "What do you want with Miss Silver?"

Gillick's eyes pricked at the name. "'Miss Silver'?" he questioned.

The boy's eyes narrowed. "You were talking about finding 'Silver.'" He paled suddenly. "Were you not looking for a person?"

"Oh, we're looking for a person," Gillick informed him, hope fluttering in his chest. "Now…tell me where she is."

His gaze immediately hardened again. "I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Oh, really?" Gillick pressed a little harder. The boy winced, and a few splotches of red began to appear on his shirt.

Suddenly something hit his blade, knocking it away and almost out of his hand. A sword landed, point-first, in the ground a few feet away. The distraction gave the boy enough time to scramble away. "I don't appreciate having my warriors threatened," a voice informed him.

Gillick whipped around towards the sound. A woman appeared from the undergrowth, a second sword clasped in her left hand. His eyes widened in recognition. "Silver."

"So you've heard of me," the woman said, her words validating the statement.

"There's a bounty on your head," he growled, pointing his blade towards her. "I intend to collect it."

Silver quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" she questioned. "Many before you have said the same, but all have failed. What makes you different?"

The corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk. "Maybe I'm better than any who've come before."

Silver didn't looked convinced. "If you insist on fighting me, then I'll fight." She took a few paces forward.

"Wait, Miss Silver!" the boy protested.

She looked back towards him, her eyes hard. "I thought it was known not to attack anyone without my permission."

"But…he was…!"

She ignored the boy's protests. "If he wants to die," she growled, "then I'll give him the honor of falling to my blade."

Gillick snorted. "We'll see."

The two didn't wait to lunge towards each other, causing their three observers to hurry to the side in nervous surprise. Their blades collided in a flurry of sparks. Gillick pressed down hard, hoping to overpower his opponent. Silver, however, slipped to the side, allowing Gillick to stumble forward. However, he was able to turn this to his advantage; instead of resisting it, he fell into it, surprising Silver when her blade slashed through thin air. He fell to the ground, but rolled over and back to his feet quickly.

This time, the two eyed each other carefully, hardly moving, both watching for the moment to strike.

Gillick, eventually, got fed up with waiting and lunged forward again. He feinted to the right before going sharply left. Silver was just barely able to block his sword with her own. She pushed her weapon hard against his, causing his blade to be jerked away while at the same time causing her to fall. As she did, however, she kicked out her legs, knocking Gillick's out from under him. _Clever, _he thought as he found himself spitting out dirt. Silver had already regained her footing and was preparing to land an over-head strike on his currently unprotected back. He was able to roll onto his back and block her sword with his own, kicking her in the stomach to force her away.

Gillick rolled back to his feet as Silver was pushing herself back to hers. The lunged for each other at the same moment. Their blades connected briefly before parting, only to clash again. Both sides were growing increasingly frustrated as their attacks were blocked time and time again, neither seeming to be able to get an inch on the other. Finally, the two jumped apart, panting and glaring at each other.

A tense silence permeated the air for a few moments. Finally, Gillick commented, "Not bad."

"Not bad yourself," Silver conceded.

"I'm curious, though," Gillick continued. "You're good, but not good enough to have beaten every group of bounty hunters or warriors that's come your way."

He expected her to take offense at his comment, but instead she surprised him by smiling. "No, I'm not. But since we're so evenly matched, I guess the same could be said for you, hm?"

He seethed at her response, which he figured showed on his face. "How did you do it?" he spat at her. "Explain yourself!"

"I don't have to explain _anything_ to you," she responded tartly. Before he could come up with a response, she'd retrieved her other sword from nearby and lunged towards him.

He cursed under his breath and mentally kicked himself for not realizing that she'd maneuvered herself towards her second sword. He blocked the strike of one of her swords, and tried to slip away from the other, but wasn't completely able to do so, and the weapon tore through fabric and flesh. He grimaced as his blood dripped down his side, and jumped back several paces. She continued at him, putting him on the defensive with her dual blades. The barrage of attacks made it difficult to form any sort of plan of counter-attack; it made it difficult to simply _defend_.

The fact that he'd been forced into the defensive was making him frustrated. He dropped to the ground, tangling his legs in hers to throw her off balance. She stumbled, though she managed to stay upright. However, it was enough; in seconds Gillick had regained his footing and had lashed out his sword in a powerful upward slash. She stumbled a few paces backwards, narrowly avoiding the blow. He struck quickly, bringing the sword back down. Still off balance, Silver's block was messy and easily broken through, though it saved her from being cut open. However, it did cause her to lose her sword.

A surge of triumph pulsed through Gillick. He lunged forward, intending to finish things. However, by that time, Silver had recovered enough to counter. She ducked beneath his blade, rolling to the side. Gillick whipped around quickly, seeing her grab her second sword and return to her feet. Triumph turned to frustration, and he lunged forward. She brought her twin blades up in an X, catching his weapon in the gap between the two weapons.

The two stood there struggling against each other for a few moments. Then, Silver asked, "Tell me, why did you decided to collect the bounty on my head?"

"I need munny," Gillick responded simply.

Silver's eyes narrowed. "That's it, then? Just another petty reason."

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed. "Shut up!" he growled. "I don't need your input!"

The two jumped apart again. Gillick glared at her, then shouted a question across the space. "Why ask, anyways? Who cares why I want you dead?"

She snorted. "I always like to know the motives of my opponent."

_Well, two can play at that game._ "Fine," he growled, "then answer this; why do you have a bounty on your head?"

Silver's green eyes flared, and she stood up straighter. "Because," she answered, "I'm doing something no one else dares to do."

"Really? And what's that?" Gillick scoffed.

"Fight against the Keybladers."

The words hit Gillick like a hammer blow. His amber eyes widened in shock, and, slowly, he said, "What did you say?"

Silver stared back at him calmly, as if she'd expected this response. "It's unbelievable, isn't it, that someone should want to destroy the 'noble Keybladers.'" She spat out the words with loathing.

Gillick shook his head slowly, relaxing his stance. "No, it's not." And he sheathed his sword.

It was Silver's turn to be surprised. "What are you…?"

"The Keybladers don't care about anyone but themselves," Gillick growled. His anger flared at his memories of the time he spent in the Armies. "They may start out Ok, but the Keyblade corrupts them. They blind people with light or deceive them with darkness." Gillick looked at her, a determination flaring inside him. "I don't like them, but I've mostly stayed out of their business. But…" He trailed off, then began again. "But if more than one person fights them, if more than one person isn't blinded, then…maybe there is hope."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter thirty - two. Please review?<em>


	33. What Makes a Hero?

_Here's chapter thirty - three. Thank you DaniPotterLovesGod, Axel'sChakrams8, explosivebagel, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - Three: What Makes a Hero?**

"What?" Mala exclaimed. Gillick turned to look at her with a momentary feeling of surprise. He'd forgotten she and Riun were still there. "What are you talking about?"

"I thought that was obvious," Gillick growled, crossing his arms. "I want to help take down the Keybladers."

Mala looked at him a few moments, stunned, then shook her head furiously. "This is insane. Absolutely insane." She glared at him. "The world _needs_ Keybladers. They're the keepers of the peace!"

"You wouldn't be complaining if I were only talking about the Dark Army Keybladers, would you?" he asked.

"Well, no…but that's different!"

"No it's not," Gillick growled. "They only want you to think it is."

"This is awkward," Silver sighed, interrupting them. Two pairs of eyes, one amber and one blue, turned towards her. She was eyeing Gillick curiously. "Are you telling the truth? Do you really want to help me in this?"

Gillick straightened. "I'm serious. Trust me, I have plenty of reasons to hate the Keybladers."

"And those reasons are…?" Silver gave him a questioning look.

He thought about all that had happened to him, and decided it was better not to tell her. "My reasons are my own," he retorted.

"Then how do I know I can trust you?" Silver shot back.

A grim smile tugged on his lips. "These two can confirm it," he responded, jerking his head towards Mala and Riun.

Mala hesitated, before sighing and saying, "He's telling the truth. I don't like it, but he's telling the truth."

Riun scuffed his foot in the dirt. "U-um, yeah."

Silver's eyes flicked from them back to Gillick. "Well, then," she said, a small smile tugging the corners of her mouth upwards, "come with me."

Questions littering his mind, Gillick followed Silver and the boy who'd attacked him and his companions. Riun followed slowly behind, and Mala, though reluctantly, came after.

Silver led them through the trees for a ways before stopping. "Welcome to the resistance," she commented dryly.

Gillick stepped forward, Riun and Mala behind him, to survey the area. His eyes widened in shock when he saw various creatures - human and otherwise - milling around a clearing filled with tents. "What…is this?" he asked, too stunned to come up with a better response.

"This," Silver replied with a touch of pride, "is the Silver Fang: the warriors who believe the same as I do, and who fight for me."

Gillick turned surprised amber eyes to her. "How many…?"

"Roughly fifty, at the moment," Silver responded. "Not counting you. It's not much, but it's a start."

Gillick snorted. "It's more than enough," he responded. _It's more than I ever thought existed, _he added silently. _Or, at least, more than I believed would be willing to fight._

"Follow me," Silver commanded, adding a motion that signaled he should move forward. Gillick, though not thrilled with being ordered around, followed behind her as she led the way through the camp. "We'll find some place for you to stay," she informed him as she walked, "but if you're serious about joining us, then you'll need to perform the same duties as everyone else."

_No, really?_ he retorted silently. "I'd figured," he commented aloud.

Her eyes shifted towards him, but she didn't comment on his snide remark. Instead, she continued, "You'll have to help with the ambushes on the Keybladers, though if you were being truthful, then this shouldn't be a problem for you." _Ambushes? Clever._ He reluctantly conceded that for a group so much smaller than the Armies, ambushes were a better alternative. "When we leave, you'll have to help pack up camp so that we can do it quickly and efficiently. You'll also have to participate in battle practice, so you can keep your skills sharp. There's also a rotation for daily chores. It'll be posted up outside my tent each morning. Check it then to see what you're doing."

Gillick snorted. "Really? And you remember _everyone's_ names?" he asked sarcastically.

"Actually, I have them write down their name and species upon joining," Silver retorted. "Speaking of which…" She pushed her way into a tent, and, after a few moments, Gillick and his two silent companions followed. Silver pushed a paper and pen towards him across the desk. "Sign at the bottom." He snorted, signing his name and species - _human_ - towards the bottom. Silver took the paper then glanced at Mala and Riun. "Now you two."

Mala backed up hesitantly. "I…" She trailed off, then looked at Gillick. "Are you sure this is what you want? I mean, your _brother's_ a Keyblader, for crying out loud! Don't family ties mean anything to you?"

Gillick's amber eyes hardened. "They still mean something to _me_," he growled in response, "but they are nothing to him."

Mala shook her head. "You're wrong, you know. He still cares about you."

"Well, not enough, does he?" Gillick growled. He turned away from her. "He'd rather fight for bastards? Fine. I'd rather fight for my beliefs."

He could feel Mala's gaze boring into him. "Fine," she replied quietly, "but I'm taking no part in it." He heard the sound of the tent entrance flapping as she left.

"Well, this is turning into quite a drama," Silver commented.

"Unfortunately, it follows me," Gillick growled.

Silver turned her green eyes to Riun next. "And what about you? Are you in or out?"

Riun, for once, looked uncomfortable. "Um…can I think about it?"

Silver nodded. "Of course."

"A question," Gillick interrupted. "Do you have any magic-users here?"

Silver shot him a look. "Some. Why do you ask?"

"Because the kid needs training."

Understanding glittered in her eyes. "If he decides to stay, we'll make sure we find someone good to give him all the lessons he needs."

"But…Gillick's teaching me!" Riun protested.

"And you think I'm going to be able to _keep_ teaching you?" Gillick retorted angrily.

Riun shrunk away. "But…you said you would!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not a mage," he responded. "You'll learn better from them than you will from me."

"But-"

Gillick cut off his protest. "Anything else we need to know?"

Silver was eyeing them curiously. "No. You may go. I'll let you know when we have a tent ready for you."

Gillick snorted, striding past. He didn't like the idea of being ordered around like he'd been when he'd been a part of the Armies, but if it meant that the eyes of the world would be opened to the faults of the Keybladers, then…it might just be worth it.

**Riun **shifted uneasily on the bed roll he'd been given. He was exhausted, but couldn't sleep because of his whirling thoughts. They mostly centered around the Silver Fang and Gillick. _I want to stay with Gillick,_ he thought, _but…I don't want to fight the Keybladers…_

He sighed quietly, rolling over. Everything seemed so confusing now. When he'd started out, he'd just wanted to become a hero and go on an adventure. Following Gillick had seemed simple, even though it had taken the discovery that he could use magic to convince him to train him. Now, though…everything was harder.

He sighed and rolled over again. Then there was the matter of Gillick himself. He was his hero; he'd saved him from the Light Army Keybladers, and when the Dark Army thought he was for the Light Army, and had tried to protect him and Mala from the assassin. But…Gillick wasn't perfect. He didn't like admitting it, because it didn't match up with his image of what a hero was. The fact remained, however, that he had faults…and Riun was beginning to have no choice but to accept them.

He rolled onto a back, looking up towards the fabric that stretched above him, silently going over what his mother had told him a hero was in his mind. _A hero is just and kind. A hero is selfless, a protector of peace and the innocent. A hero is a vanquisher of the wicked, a being filled with courage and unshakable faith. A hero _always_ does what's right._ The more he thought about it, the more he realized that Gillick didn't completely match that image.

…Maybe Gillick was right, and he wasn't really a hero after all.

Riun shook his head forcefully. _No!_ Gillick may not match what the words said, but…his heart was telling him that there was something about the older boy. And you were always supposed to listen to your heart, right? After all, that's where a Keyblader's power comes from, so it had to be a good thing.

…But if he agreed to stay with Silver, then he would be fighting against the Keybladers. And wouldn't that mean fighting against everything they stood for, too? He didn't want to do that.

Riun pushed himself off the bedroll, his decision made. Slowly, he pushed his way out of the tent.

"Not staying, huh?"

He jumped at the voice. "Gillick!"

The older boy was standing outside, arms crossed. "Obviously," he growled to him.

Riun looked at him nervously, wondering if he'd feel betrayed that he was leaving. "It's not that you're not awesome, or anything!" he tried to explain himself. "But…I don't want to fight against the Keybladers! They stand for what's good. So…if we fight them, does that mean we stand for what's bad?"

Gillick gave him a thoughtful look. Then a small smirk of amusement touched his lips. "So you're a deep thinker now, huh?" He shook his head, not waiting for an answer. "The good things in the world are what the Keybladers are _supposed_ to stand for. Maybe at one time they actually did. If they still did what they were supposed to, then I'd agree with you." Anger flared in his eyes, and an angry frown creased his features. "But they don't. Not anymore."

"Yes, they do!" Riun protested.

"They only give the appearance that they do," Gillick responded, "and not all of them have the decency to do that." He shook his head. "If these 'Silver Fang' are really going to do what they say they are, then we'll be the ones fighting for all the things the Keybladers gave up."

Riun looked away uncomfortably. "Well…I still think the Keybladers are good. So…I can't stay."

Gillick shrugged. "Whatever."

Riun walked a few paces away, then, on a spurt of emotion, ran back and embraced the older boy, startling him. "But I still think you're a hero," he informed him.

Gillick snorted, his surprise obviously wearing off. "And what exactly is your definition of a hero?"

"Someone who's just, and kind, and selfless, and a protector of the peace and innocent, and courageous, and has a lot of faith, and destroys bad things, and _always _does what's right!"

"That's unrealistic," Gillick scoffed, his voice filled with contempt. "No one's like that, especially not me." He detached the boy from his waist and pushed him away. "So why the hell are you calling me one?"

A few tears were pricking the corners of Riun's eyes. "Because you _are_ a hero," he responded. "Just…a different kind of hero."

Gillick shook his head. "You're wrong, kid. Now get out of here."

Riun took a step back, hurt by the remark. "But-"

"You didn't want any part in this, did you?" Gillick interrupted. "So why are you still hanging around here?"

_Because I don't want to say goodbye…_ He'd already lost Mala; he didn't want to lose Gillick, too. And he knew he couldn't go to Mala later; she'd be going to the Light Army, and they'd kept him prisoner. So…once he left…he'd be alone…

Then Gillick turned and disappeared into the tent, leaving him alone in the darkness of the night.

He sniffed, trying to stop his tears. _I'm alone now. I have to be brave. Like…a hero…_ Slowly, he turned and headed out of the camp and into the forest.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter thirty - three. Reviews would be awesome, please?<em>


	34. Opening Blind Eyes

_Here's chapter thirty - four. Thank you explosivebagel for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - Four: Opening Blind Eyes**

Mala headed hurriedly away from the Silver Fang's encampment. She felt uncomfortable and oddly depressed, but, at the same time, freer than she'd felt in a long time. It was going to be strange, not having Gillick around; even if she still wasn't overly fond of him, she'd gained more respect for him since they'd teamed up. And she'd miss Riun terribly. But she wasn't willing to stay and fight for people who were against Keybladers.

Alone, she felt all the caution she felt as a thief creeping back. She took lighter steps, careful not to make a sound, and kept all her senses alert. _Alone, I'm no longer safe, _she reminded herself quietly. _I need to make sure I stay focused._

Mala took a deep breath as she continue, trying to force all thoughts of her lost companions out of her mind. _I have to find the Light Army. Nothing else matters now. Just get back to the Light Army._ She felt as if her heart grew slightly lighter at the thought of seeing Trevor again.

…But only slightly.

**The **Knight's black wings blocked out the faint light of the moon as it descended from the sky. It touched ground in a spray of dust, its broken feathers receding back into its armor. It remained hunched over for a few moments, the power within it pulsing with almost uncontrollable force.

It was time to release some of it.

The Knight snarled furiously, jerking upright and releasing a massive shockwave of fire. Screeches of pain and shock resounded around the town, along with frantic questions.

"What's happening?"

"Are we being attacked?"

"The Keybladers! The Keybladers will help us!"

But there were no Keybladers there that night.

The Knight hurried around the town, magic flying from its clawed gauntlets to strike at anything it came near. It was a blur, hidden in darkness except for the glowing blue on the upper part of its left arm.

It stopped abruptly, a growl pulsing from within its helm. However, there was nothing left of the town, nor its inhabitants. The monster looked around, its eerie eyes flashing behind its tinted glass visor. For a few moments, the orbs seemed to take on something that appeared more…human. Then it was gone, and the Knight was in the air, its broken wings carrying it off into the darkness.

**Trevor **stared at the dismantled town in horror. "What…happened here?"

A Keyblader behind him, far older than he was, stared at the carnage with a grim expression. "There's only one thing I've ever heard of that could cause this destruction, and that's the Knight."

Trevor shook his head, feeling sick. He and the Keybladers with him had been sent to the town by Tollun to search for information on the X-blade. However, it appeared they'd arrived too late. "We should've come earlier."

The older Keyblader shook his head. "It may have been no good." He said no more, though, as he headed out into the destroyed town. Summoning his courage, Trevor followed.

His sense of horror only grew as he continued through the town. Bodies littered the streets; if they were lucky, they were still whole. Buildings had been collapsed, and, on a few occasions, there were small fires still eating up the wood. It appeared, as he continued to walk, that no one had escaped…not with their lives, at least.

Then he saw someone standing in the middle of the broken village. _Thank God, someone survived,_ Trevor thought, breathing a heavy sigh of relief as he hurried towards the person. As he drew closer, however, he felt a sense of surprise wash over him, mixing with his relief. "Mala!"

The girl turned to look at him, eyes wide with the same horror he felt. "Trevor," she whispered, "what happened here?"

He skidded to a halt before her, blinking in surprise. "You don't know?"

She shook her head. "I just got here…"

She looked as if she were about ready to flee. Trevor rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Well, I'm just glad you're Ok."

She looked up at him, her blue eyes still flickering uneasily, though she appeared reassured. "Thanks."

"Where did you go?" he asked her. "I was worried the Dark Army had gotten you."

Mala looked uncertain for several moments. Eventually, she responded, "I…I got scared. I ran. I wasn't sure I was cut out for…for fighting for the Light Army." She took a deep breath. "But now I am. I was looking for you, actually, so…" She cut herself off, not appearing as if she could consider what had happened to the village a good thing.

Trevor nodded, a smile on his lips. "We'd be glad to have you back."

"That's not your decision to make."

Trevor froze at the voice. Slowly, he turned to look at one of the other Keybladers. "I-I know, but-"

"But what?" the Keyblader taunted. "Are you saying you'd defy Master Tollun?"

Trevor's heart lurched. "No! Never!" What would Master Tollun do if he thought his student was betraying him? Would he kick him out of the Light Army? Would he become armor-less like Gillick? What would he be worth if he could never use the Keyblade again?

"Trevor?"

He turned back to Mala at the sound of her voice. He forced a smile at her. "Don't worry; I'll talk to Master Tollun, and soon we'll have everything figured out."

**Mala **walked around with Trevor and helped him look through the wreckage of the town. She felt sick at the prospect of digging past dead bodies, and asked to keep her mind off the subject, "What are we looking for, again?"

"Information on the X-blade," Trevor responded. He sounded a little impatient; however, considering the attitude of his brother, Mala hardly cared.

"Right," she muttered, continuing to shift through the wreckage. She swallowed the bile in her mouth and instead tried to focus her mind on something else.

What it focused on was Trevor's reaction to the idea of going against Tollun's orders. She was puzzled by it; surely Tollun would understand? And, if not, it wasn't like he'd do something bad to the boy…would he?

_Trevor is only strong when he has someone else to lean on._

Gillick's words echoed through her mind. She shook her head, trying to deny the thoughts. _Trevor is strong without any help._ Yet she couldn't help the niggling doubt that said that Gillick was right; that Trevor needed someone to help him and, without it, he'd lose his strength.

"Would you look at this?" Mala lifted her head at the sound of one of the other Keyblader's voices. He was looking disgustedly around the ruined town. "The Knight sure picked a bad time to attack. Couldn't he have waited until we'd checked this place out for information on the X-blade first?"

"Yeah," another added. "Who cares what happens after? But now if there was any information here, it's as good as gone."

Mala frowned at them. She didn't like the fact that they were talking as if the people who had lived in the village didn't matter. She looked to Trevor, hoping he would speak up. His blue eyes were shadowed. "It's not just information on the X-blade that was lost."

"Yeah, we know," one of the Keybladers sighed. "Still…"

Trevor sighed. "I know."

Mala watched the other Keybladers go, narrowing her eyes as they paid no regard to the bodies of the people who lost their lives. "What's wrong with them?" she whispered. "Are they really Keybladers?"

Trevor obviously heard her quiet remark, because he turned to look at her with a frown on his face. "Of course they are. What makes you say that?"

"They…weren't exactly being…well, caring," she commented, not sure of how to respond.

Trevor shrugged, looking away. "Well, we have important business to do. They probably just wanted to focus more on looking for information on the X-blade. They'll care more latter."

"…Right." Mala couldn't manage to convince herself that was true, no matter how much she tried.

Trevor seemed to sense this. "You know," he commented as he worked beside her, "the X-blade will allow us to defeat the Dark Army once and for all. It's important that we can find it."

"Well…yeah, that makes sense…" Mala trailed off as her hand brushed against something yielding. She jerked the appendage back and took a few steps away, unnerved.

Trevor's head jerked up at the sound of something moving in the bushes. "Who's there?" he hissed, summoning his Keyblade. Mala watched warily, her hand slowly reaching behind her for her bow.

A shape suddenly erupted from the bushes. Trevor lifted his Keyblade, blocking the attack and sending the attacker flying. Mala turned to look at the assailant before blinking in surprise. It was a kid, about twelve or thirteen, with armor…and a Keyblade. Trevor looked unimpressed, aiming his weapon towards the boy. "What are you doing here? Are you from the Dark Army?"

The boy glared at him before spitting at his feet. "Dang right, scum. And I'm going to spill the blood of my first enemy." He lunged forward again, swinging a Keyblade that seemed too big for him.

Trevor blocked the blow and sent the boy sprawling in the dirt. He hesitated, conflict in his eyes, before taking a deep breath. "For the Light Army," he whispered.

The rational part of Mala's brain realized what he was about to do. But she wanted to ignore that part of her brain. Trevor wouldn't, he couldn't. He wasn't like Gillick…

But her hopes didn't change reality. Trevor's Keyblade stabbed down towards the younger Keyblader's chest, impaling him. The boy gave a choked gasp before falling still. Trevor jerked his Keyblade out of the corpse, causing crimson blood to spill from the new wound.

Mala was too shocked and horrified to do anything at first. She made several attempts to speak before finally managing, "What did you _do_?"

Trevor looked at her, his blue eyes dark with regret. "He was a Dark Army Keyblader; all Dark Army Keybladers have to go." He took a shuddering breath before adding, "No matter how young they are."

Mala shook her head, trying to comprehend what she'd just seen. "But…but he was just a kid!"

"And no less dangerous because of it," Trevor retorted. "He would grow, and he would become a threat. That can't happen." Mala's shocked mind translated the subtext for her: In the world of Keybladers, there could be no mercy. "There are probably more of them hanging around," Trevor added forlornly, looking towards the bushes. "I'd better warn the others."

He started to leave, then paused when he realized his companion wasn't following him. "Mala?" he asked, turning to look at her.

She shook her head, tears finally stinging her eyes. "You…you can't…I mean…"

Trevor gave a quiet sigh. "Mala, the Dark Army Keybladers are evil. It's terrible that they can get children so young, but they can't be allowed to live."

_But Riun supported the Dark Army, _Mala thought, tears slipping down her cheeks. _He's not evil; I _know _he's not evil._ She looked at the dead kid, and imagined it had been Riun instead of him. Would Trevor have shone mercy to a friend of hers, even if he supported the Dark Army?

…She remembered her own convictions about the Dark Army. But…to kill a kid…

"Mala?" Trevor asked again, sounding worried.

She acted on the instincts she had as a thief; she fled. She heard Trevor calling out behind her, but didn't stop. She ran until her lungs were about to burst before finally stopping. She fell against a tree, defeated sobs shaking her body. _I thought Keybladers were supposed to be good! The Light Army, at least, was supposed to be! That's what I believed my entire life. But…they didn't care about the people…and Trevor…_ She cut off her thoughts abruptly, sinking to the ground. _I'm so confused! What's real, what's not? Are they good, are they bad, what…I don't know anymore!_

She heard Gillick's words echo through her mind once more: _Take my advice and let him go._ She heard them repeated over and over again in her mind as her world fell down around her.

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><p><em>Well, that's the end of chapter thirty - four. Please review? <em>


	35. Enter the Darkness

_Here's chapter thirty - five. Eddie Camp, an anonymous reviewer, and explosivebagel for reviewing last chapter._

**Chapter Thirty – Five: Enter the Darkness**

Riun trudged slowly through the wilderness, sniffing. He was cold…he was tired…and he wanted to go home. He fell to the ground and curled up next to a tree trunk, trying not to cry. _I have to be tough, _he told himself over and over again. But he still couldn't stop himself from sniffling.

He didn't like this…being along. The adventure had been fun for the most part when he'd been with Mala and Gillick. Now, though, he was remembering the assassin that had attacked them and the vicious Knight. He shivered, curling himself into a tighter ball and whimpering.

…He soon discovered he was too scared to fall asleep.

He uncurled himself and sat with his back against the tree, hugging his knees. To try and keep his mind off his current predicament, he began gathering small sticks from nearby and piled them up before him. Then, remembering Gillick's lessons, he extended his hands towards the pile and muttered, "Fire." A small ball of fire flew from his outstretched hands and lit the twigs on fire, much to his delight.

"That's an interesting ability."

Riun jumped and let out a surprised squeak at the voice. "Who's there?" he yelped, looking around wildly.

"A friend, perhaps."

A man materialized before him, with pale hair that fell to cover his eyes. His armor glittered in the light of Riun's fire. "You're a Keyblader?" he gasped.

The man nodded. "My name is Viril," he informed him, "leader of the Dark Army."

"Really?" Riun shot to his feet. "That's so cool! The Dark Army's the best!"

A small smile curled Viril's lips. "I'm glad you think so." Then the man suddenly grew somber. "Would you like to join us, young one?"

Riun's eyes flew wide with surprise. "What? Me?"

Viril nodded. "We can always use an unaffiliated Keyblader."

"Huh? I'm not a Keyblader," Riun explained, feeling puzzled.

"Really?" Viril didn't sound surprised at this admission. "Then how are you able to use magic?"

"Um…I just can." Riun shrugged, unable to explain his bizarre abilities any further.

Viril gave a small snort of amusement. "What's your name?"

"Riun."

"Well, Riun, people like you are special; it's not often that people without a Keyblade can use magic. It's even more of a reason for you to come with me to the Dark Army."

"Can I really come?" Riun asked, excitement at the prospect blazing away his former fear.

"Of course," Viril responded, turning away. "And who knows? Perhaps you will come to have a Keyblade of your own, in time."

"Really? My own Keyblade?" The thought of being one of the legendary Keybladers filled Riun with a wild hope, and he plunged into the undergrowth of the forest after Viril without a second thought.

"**Riun, **this is Xuren. He will be your mentor, for the time being."

Riun looked up at the man before him curiously. He knew that this person was a Keyblader and a supporter of the Dark Army, but…something about his eyes was giving Riun the chills. Still, he was a Keyblader, and he was for the Dark Army, so…that meant he had to be good, right? "Hi, Xuren."

Xuren gave him a predatory smile. "You look afraid of me. Am I really that frightening?"

"Um…n-no," Riun replied nervously.

"Don't scare the boy, Xuren," Viril growled. His long bangs parted slightly to reveal glowing red eyes. Despite the fact that the leader of the Dark Army was supporting him, he found the sight…unnerving.

Xuren seemed to, as well. "I'll behave," he promised. "Come on, kid." He whipped around and hurried away, leaving Riun to trail after him.

Several moments of silence stretched between the two as they walked. Finally, Riun couldn't bear it anymore, and piped up, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," Xuren replied mysteriously.

"But where _is _somewhere?" Riun protested.

"You'll find out soon enough."

Seeing that he wouldn't get any more out of the man, Riun lapsed back into a reluctant silence. His eyes kept shifting back towards the Keyblader, wondering about him. "I know someone who has eyes the same color as yours," he commented, thinking the amber coloring of Xuren's eyes was similar to Gillick's.

"Really?" Xuren said, his voice an odd mixture of curiosity and malice.

Riun suddenly felt nervous about this chosen topic, but continued it, nonetheless. "I don't see a lot of people with that eye color. Is it normal?"

"Far from it."

"Really? Is it for special people? Like heroes?"

Xuren turned to look at him, his eyes gleaming with a wild light and a wicked grin on his face. Riun inadvertently took a pace backwards, feeling unnerved. "These eyes," he informed him, "mean that someone has been touched by an extreme form of darkness. The color of the eyes grows darker and darker the more someone's exposed to it, until it changes all together…into blood red." Xuren's disturbed grin broadened. "Someday you may have eyes just like these." With that, he whipped around and headed away, leaving Riun to follow again and ponder what he'd learned.

_Gillick was…touched by darkness?_ What did that mean, anyways? How did it happen? Did Gillick have some connection with the Dark Army at some point? He had no answers to his questions; the only thing he knew was that he liked the warrior much better than he liked the Keyblader.

It was a shocking thought, and almost caused him to come to a complete halt. He preferred being around Gillick than being around a Keyblader. The older boy was short tempered and not always caring, true…but there seemed to be a sort of goodness in his eyes. With this Keyblader, though…he couldn't find any of that. When he looked hard, he could see a small flicker of it, but that was only when he was _really _looking for it. He swallowed hard. Keybladers were supposed to be _heroes_…didn't that mean they had to be good? Maybe he was a different kind of hero, like Gillick.

…His heart, much as he tried to ignore it, was telling him otherwise.

"We're here," Xuren informed him, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Riun peeked around the man to look at what lay before them. His face contorted into a frown when he saw a ruined town through the trees. "Why are we here?" he questioned, looking up towards Xuren.

The man glanced down towards him. "The Light Army is here; Viril wants us to fight them."

Riun swallowed hard, looking nervously back at the destroyed town. "You mean…go out there and attack them?"

"Some will," Xuren informed him, the wicked smile that was becoming disturbingly familiar etched across his face. "But those are only the distractions. When those Light Army bastards are busy killing them, we'll attack from the shadows." His eyes gleamed maniacally. "They won't see us coming…until it's too late."

Riun whimpered, backing away from the Keyblader. "I don't like this idea," he protested.

Xuren turned to look at him, the dark smile replaced with an angry frown. "No one asked what you 'liked.'"

"B-but…you're just letting people die…" Riun trailed off, tears stinging the corners of his eyes.

"Suck it up!" Xuren snapped. "You're part of the Dark Army now; this is how it works." Then a sadistic grin replaced the frown. "You'll learn to love the blood; trust me."

The idea of becoming so hungry for blood finally made the boy snap. "No!" He took several steps backwards. "I don't want to! You're mean! And scary! And…and…" He let out a small cry of frustration. "I wish Gillick was here!"

Tears streamed down his face for several moments before he realized everything had grown deathly silent. When he turned his gaze back to Xuren, he saw the man's amber eyes flickering with darkness and a barely suppressed fury. "I thought I'd heard," he growled, "that Gillick was traveling with some runt."

"X-Xuren?" Riun stammered as the man began to stalk towards him.

"Who would've imagined that he'd turn up with his old friends?"

Xuren summoned his Keyblade, raising it above his head. Riun cried out in alarm and fell backward. "What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of a nuisance!"

Riun squeezed his eyes shut, giving a wordless cry of fear. However, a cry of pain drowned out his. Then someone was at his side, screaming in his ear, "Run, Riun!"

For a moment, he thought Gillick had come to rescue him. Then he realized that, though he recognized the voice, it belonged to a girl. He blinked open his eyes to see Xuren jerking an arrow out of his arm, and Mala tugging on the boy's sleeve to urge him forward. He needed no more convincing to scramble up and hurry away with the thief girl. He expected to hear sounds of pursuit, but they never came.

After a while, the two stopped, panting. Mala was shaking, looking as if she were about to be sick. Riun whimpered, looking up at her. "Mala…"

"That wasn't fun," she commented, sinking down and hugging her knees.

Riun, shaking, stumbled over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you for saving me."

She laughed humorlessly. "I almost wasn't quick enough; I was frozen for a while before I could convince myself to move."

"But you still did." Riun released her and fell backwards, feeling stunned. "I thought Keybladers were supposed to be the good guys."

"So did I," Mala agreed in a whisper. She shook her head. "I don't understand; I've seen them do a lot of good things! But now…" She shook her head again.

"Maybe…we could go find Gillick," Riun suggested.

Mala hesitated a moment before nodding. "Yeah. He might be able to answer some questions for us." She stood shakily. "And I'd like to know…why exactly Xuren called the Dark Army his 'old friends.'"

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><p><em>And that is the end of chapter thirty – five. Please review?<em>


	36. Trouble

_This is chapter thirty - six. Thank you Eddie Camp, explosivebagel, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - Six: Trouble**

"Now, everyone draw your weapons and follow me."

It was only his first day in 'weapons practice', and Gillick already hated the man in charge. Aside from the fact that he disliked taking orders in general, the man - Kero - treated all of the Silver Fang assigned to him like they were novices who hadn't even begun to wield a sword. Since he got most of the newbies, it was usually true; however, Gillick was too angry and resentful to consider that point, instead muttering under his breath that he shouldn't be with this 'idiot of an instructor.'

"Is something wrong, Gillick?" Kero called, obviously hearing his muttering.

He didn't even bother to try and hide it. "Yeah. You."

Kero looked resentful at the admission, though not surprised. "I'll have you know that I've had much more experience with fighting than you-"

Gillick interrupted with a bark of laughter. "I doubt it."

"-and am a master swords man," the man finished, though he looked miffed at Gillick's interruption.

Gillick drew his sword around quickly and wrapped his arm around so that it rested firmly against the back of Kero's neck, drawing in close to prevent escape. "If you're so good," he growled, "then how come you let me do that?"

He released his startled, blustering prisoner and whipped around, sheathing his sword as he walked away. "Where are you going?" exclaimed Kero.

"Somewhere far away from you," Gillick responded over his shoulder.

Suddenly he felt something hit his back. He stumbled forward, caught off balance, and heard Kero's voice say, "Did that knock you down off your high horse?"

Gillick whipped around, dragging his sword back out of its sheath and lunging forward, snarling, "You're going to eat those words!"

"Make me, if you can," taunted Kero.

Their swords collided in a flurry of sparks. Gillick quickly backed off and rapped his opponent's sword arm with the flat of his blade. Kero's arm jerked away, but he didn't release his weapon. He spun around, blade flashing towards Gillick's midsection. Gillick jumped back out of reach, then lunged forward and ducked low, just barely avoiding Kero's stab. He swung his sword out, aiming to cut the man's legs, but he was able to jump away before he could. He swung back to his feet and turned back towards his opponent.

He was about to charge when suddenly there was a sword tip pricking the side of his neck. Strangely, Kero had one touching his neck, as well.

Then Silver's voice spoke. "That's enough. I won't have my warriors fighting each other."

"But, Miss-"

"No buts," Silver growled. "Get back to work; I'll talk to you later. Gillick, you're coming with me." He considered ignoring the order for several heartbeats before finally deciding that he'd rather not get kicked out of the Silver Fang, too, and slowly walked towards Silver's tent.

She was standing in the middle of the tent when he entered. He sheathed his sword and crossed his arms, waiting for her to speak. He didn't have to wait long. "What were you thinking, attacking your instructor like that?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I don't _need_ an instructor," Gillick growled.

"I realize you're already proficient with a sword," Silver continued, "but you have to go through training, like everyone else."

"'Proficient'?" Gillick spat out the word. "I'm a bit more than fricken _proficient_."

"It doesn't matter!" Silver snapped at him. "And even if it did, that wasn't the way to handle things." Gillick opened his mouth to protest, but upon reflection realized she was right and closed it again. "Gillick, if you intend to fight with the Silver Fang, then you have to learn to follow orders."

Gillick glared at her, but tried to ignore the anger that was rising inside him at her lecture. "Yes, ma'am," he growled sullenly. He turned around to leave.

"You haven't been dismissed yet."

Gillick stopped and waited, but didn't turn back around to face Silver. "Well? Are you going to let me go?"

He heard her sigh. "You're dismissed."

Gillick stalked out of the tent, striding through the camp back towards his own. He hoped she didn't think he was going back to practice, because he had no intention of doing that…at least until the next day. He may not like the Keybladers, but he had a feeling taking orders and being surrounded by people constantly was going to get on his nerves very quickly.

**A few** days later found Gillick sitting stubbornly in his tent, glaring at the red fabric wall. Silver was outside, trying to convince him to return to practice. "Stop sulking and get back to work!" she ordered.

"I'm not sulking," he retorted. "Besides, I thought you said I wasn't allowed to kill Kero."

"You _aren't_." She sounded as if she was growing exasperated with him. Gillick snorted in smug response. _Good; maybe she'll actually put me in a different group. Or better yet, let me practice on my own._

But when she spoke again, it was the same argument as before. "You need to keep your skills sharp and keep learning."

"Don't patronize me!" he growled in response. "I'm not an amateur!"

"I don't recall saying you were," Silver retorted dryly. "But everyone can learn more."

"And that's why _you're _never at these practices?"

"Gillick!"

The boy sighed, annoyed with her yelling at him and finally deciding it wasn't worth hiding in the relative solitude of his tent when she was constantly there screaming at him. "If I go, will you shut up?" he asked as he pushed his way out of the tent and past her.

He felt the cold tip of a sword blade pressed against the back of his neck. "Learn some respect," she growled to him.

Gillick snorted. "Forgive me for not shaking in my boots." He began walking forward again, effectively getting away from the weapon. However, he could hear Silver muttering behind him, and knew that there'd be hell to pay when he got back.

His eye twitched and he rubbed his temples as he walked. He was beginning to wonder how smart of an idea it was to join up with the Silver Fang, considering that he wasn't exactly a 'people person.' But he wasn't yet willing to give up the only chance he had to fight the Keybladers, no matter how slim it was.

"Halt!"

At first, Gillick thought the command was directed at him, and lifted his head to give a stinging retort. Then he realized it was aimed at two people who had made their way into the Silver Fang's camp. He blinked in shock as he saw the two nervous people being stared down by the warriors. "Riun? Mala?"

He hurried towards the two as the warriors continued to glare at them. "All trespassers have to go," one of the men growled.

"Then you might want to make sure you don't end up with a sword in your back," Gillick informed him. The Silver Fang warriors surrounding the two turned to look at him with surprised eyes. Gillick himself had been surprised at the comment, but decided it was a better idea not to show it. He walked towards them, looking at them carefully. Mala looked back with an unreadable expression. Riun was attempting to copy it, but his nervous excitement ended up showing through. Gillick whipped around and focused his attention on the lead tormentor, saying, "They're with me. Besides, I thought killing mindlessly is what _Keybladers_ do?"

The man opened his mouth as if to make a response, but ended up closing it again, his actions reminiscent of a fish. Finally, he managed to splutter out, "Well, fine, I'll leave them be, but I'll be taking it up with Silver."

"Fine." Gillick rolled his eyes at him as the Silver Fang warriors dispersed.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and he glanced to the side to see Mala. "Thanks…for sticking up for us there."

"What are you doing here?" Gillick asked bluntly, jerking away from her grasp and turning back to face her.

She looked suddenly uncertain, her hand hovering in the air for a few moments before she lowered it. Riun, however, was not so hesitant, rushing forward to wrap Gillick in a hug, much to the older boy's chagrin. "Gillick! I found the Dark Army, and Mister Viril let me join, but Xuren was so mean, and he scared me, and…and…and…"

"Let go of me," Gillick growled, detaching him from his legs. Then he let out a quiet snort. "That idiot put Xuren in charge of you? He's mad."

He realized too late that his statement carried too much of a hint to his past, and noticed immediately the strange looks Mala and Riun were giving him. "Gillick…Xuren said that you and the Keybladers of the Dark Army were 'old friends.'"

Riun nodded. "Yeah, and he said people with amber eyes had been touched by darkness. And you have amber eyes!"

"And what exactly happened between you and Trevor?" Mala added. "What happened to make you two fight?"

Gillick was looking between the two of them with an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness, trying to fabricate an answer. They were getting so close to the truth…it wasn't good. He didn't want _anyone_ to know of his dark past or of the fact that he was, at one time, a Keyblader, especially not now that he was a part of an anti-Keyblader organization. "It's none of your concern!" he snapped finally, growing frustrated.

"That's not an answer, that's an excuse!" Mala countered with unusual bravado. "Don't we deserve to know the truth?"

"You never answered my question," Gillick commented abruptly, changing the subject. "Why are you here? Weren't you going to join the Light Army and be with Trevor?"

All the confidence she'd appeared to have before seemed to be suddenly whisked out of her, until she appeared to be a shell. "Well…it's just…"

He snorted, realizing _exactly _what had happened. "Turned out he wasn't the mighty hero you thought he was, right?"

Mala nodded slowly, still appearing shell-shocked. "He…he killed a kid. I know it was because he was from the Dark Army, but…"

Gillick snorted. "I thought I warned you to let him go."

Mala looked awkwardly away from him. "You didn't answer my question, either." It was her turn to change the subject.

This time, however, Gillick was confident he could avoid having to reveal his secret; she seemed too upset about what had happened with Trevor to continue bugging him about it. "It doesn't matter." Not wanting to take any chances, though, he continued with, "So, you both saw that Keybladers aren't all they're cracked up to me, and decided to come back to the Silver Fang?"

Both nodded slowly. "Yes," the answered simultaneously.

Gillick snorted. "What makes you think they'll take you? Are you even willing to fight?"

Riun glanced nervously at Mala, who's head was still down, before turning back to Gillick and giving his answer. "I'd rather fight with you than Xuren. You're a hero; he's a bully."

Gillick sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I thought we'd established that I _wasn't a hero_."

"No, we decided you were a different kind of hero," Riun responded cheekily. Then he suddenly appeared serious. "I missed you, Gillick."

Gillick felt surprised by the admission. He looked at Riun carefully and, for a moment, he saw a version of Trevor when he was younger. He blinked and the image was gone, but it didn't stop his heart from giving a painful wrench. He shook his head. "Come on; let's get you two to Silver."

"…Gillick." He stopped as he heard Mala say his name. "I'll…I'll fight." She didn't sound certain, and Gillick turned back to look at her, intending to question her. However, she continued on before he could. "Did you warn me about Trevor…because you cared?"

He looked away. "Idiot. You're imaging things."

He heard her sigh. "You know, Gillick," she murmured quietly, "you remind me of a Keyblader sometimes."

Her words made him freeze. It wasn't possible that she could see that…could she? No, she didn't know…but she might be able to guess if he wasn't careful. Which brought to his mind thoughts of the Silver Fang. What he was doing, fighting against the armies, was so much like what he'd done before he abandoned the Keyblade…

_No, _he growled to himself, _this is different._

He couldn't completely crush the tiny flicker of doubt.

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><p><em>Ok, so, that's the end of chapter thirty - six. No, Gillick hasn't had to give himself up yet. Review?<em>


	37. Initiation

_Happy Holidays, everyone! Thank you Eddie Camp and explosivebagel for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - Seven: Initiation **

"How to we bring back the X-blade?"

"I told you, I don't know!"

Allia felt pain lance through her body. She bit back the scream of pain, tensing her body against the jolt. When it passed, she fell back, panting, against her restraints. "Did that change your mind any?"

Allia looked over at her tormentor, a Dark Army Keyblader. "Go to hell," she spat.

She instantly regretted it as the Keyblader lifted his Keyblade and released a bolt of lightning from it. She resisted screaming once again, curses boiling in her mind. When the pain passed, she lay panting, thinking furiously, _If I were free…_ She finished with a number of tortures, then decided none were bad enough.

The Keyblader was looking down at her. "Had enough?"

Allia glared at him in fury and pain. "Shut up."

He shook his head with a sigh. "That will get you nowhere, you know."

"I don't know anything about your 'X-blade'," she informed the man icily, attempting to remain calm.

"Do you think we'll let you go if you play dumb?" the man hissed, leaning closer. "Because we won't, you know. We'll keep you here until we either find the X-blade…or you die."

"Lucky me," Allia muttered under her breath.

The Keyblader didn't appear to hear. "Don't you think it'd be simpler to just tell us what you know?"

"It might be simpler," Allia growled, "but I don't _know _anything, at least not about the X-blade."

"Not about the X-blade…" The man trailed off, and the assassin could see the gears turning in his mind. "Do you know anything about the Light Army?"

She hesitated on this. Yes, she knew something about them, but she wasn't sure whether the information would help her or harm her. Eventually, she decided to risk it and said, "Yeah, I know something. They hired me to kill someone named Gillick Nogard."

The man looked surprised, and the assassin wondered if that was a good thing. "Really? Why are they bothering with him? He's only a minor nuisance."

"He attempted to attack their fortress, supposedly," Allia responded.

The Keyblader snorted. "The epitome of a smart person who does dumb things," he muttered.

Allia frowned at him. "How do you know about my target, anyways? What's his story?"

"I don't believe that concerns you," the Keyblader responded. After several moments of silence, he continued, "Thank you for that information. Now, let's get back to the X-blade."

Allia's hopes plummeted. "Have you been _listening_? I. Don't. Know. _Anything._"

"We'll see about that."

Allia's body was filled with electricity for the fifth time that day. This time, she did scream.

**Gillick **led Mala and Riun over to Silver's tent. He pushed open the flap and entered without introduction. Silver looked up in surprise at his entrance. "Gillick? Do you need something?"

"Not for me," he responded, moving aside and letting his two companions enter.

Mala and Riun were both hesitant about coming in, looking around the tent nervously. Silver frowned. "I thought these two weren't interested in joining?"

"They changed their minds," Gillick informed her. He glanced at them. "Well? Tell her."

Mala looked nervous, stepping forward hesitantly. "W-well, we tried joining the armies…" She trailed off, looking as if she wanted to be anywhere but there.

Riun picked it up for her. "The Dark Army wasn't nice! I decided I wanted to come back and be with Gillick." The young boy glanced up at the girl beside him. "You did, too, right Mala?"

Mala looked down at Riun and nodded quickly. "Y-yeah."

Silver frowned, crossing her arms. "I don't know. You already abandoned us once. Why should I believe you won't again?" She glanced at Gillick, but he said nothing.

"We could prove our loyalty," Mala answered hesitantly.

Riun nodded eagerly. "Yeah! We can help!"

"Really?" Silver still sounded skeptical. "And what if I asked you to fight against Keybladers? Would you be comfortable with that?" The looks on their faces answered her question. "See?" She sighed, shaking her head. "You may now know more of the Keybladers' true natures, but you've considered them as the 'good guys' for numerous years. Something like that is not so easily destroyed."

Gillick knew she had a point there. Even after he'd seen what Keybladers were really like, he'd tried to convince himself of their goodness for a while before his opinions finally changed.

Mala swallowed hard before answering. "It's not going to be easy, but…I still think I want to help."

Riun nodded his agreement. "I know Xuren's bad, and Gillick's good, so I want to help Gillick." Aforementioned boy gave him an amber - eyed glare, but didn't respond aloud.

Silver sighed. "If you're so determined, then I plan on testing you first."

Mala and Riun both nodded their assent. "What is it?" Mala asked slowly.

"Then here's the test." Silver paused, looking as if she were collecting her thoughts before continuing. "In a few days, I'll be taking a group of Silver Fang warriors on a raiding party to one of the Dark Army's strong holds. I want you two to accompany it."

Gillick couldn't help laughing. Silver glared at him. "Mind telling me what's so funny?"

He smirked. "I tried that with the Light Army. It didn't end well."

"No," Mala sighed, "it didn't."

"You didn't have experience or a group of allies standing behind you, though, did you?" Silver retorted.

Gillick snorted. "Whatever. You're digging your own grave."

Silver suddenly smiled sweetly. "And yours. You'll be coming with us."

Gillick looked at her in astonishment. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I'll pass on getting locked up in a dungeon again, thanks," Gillick snapped back at her.

Silver narrowed green eyes at him. "You'll do as you're told, if you expect to be part of the Silver Fang." Gillick seethed, but held his tongue…this time. _If she thinks she can control me, she has another thing coming._ He was already plotting on how he'd get back at her.

Silver turned her attention back to Mala and Riun. "Spend the next few days getting ready," she commanded. "And, Riun, you can use magic, correct?"

Riun nodded hesitantly. "Yeah."

"Then I'll find you a proper teacher."

Riun frowned. "But…I want Gillick to keep teaching me…"

Gillick's eye twitched. "_No_, Riun!"

Silver sighed. "You're all dismissed. If all goes well on this mission, I'll let you two join us."

**Gillick **paced aimlessly around his tent. Currently, he lacked something to do. He'd considered going out to practice his swordplay, but decided against it on the more-than-likely chance that Kero would be nearby. Other than that, he didn't have much to do besides think.

He sighed, falling to the ground. It wasn't the same as his travels; at least then, he'd always had new sights to keep him occupied. Now there was nothing to do but wait and think.

_Maybe I should check up on Riun, _he thought. It had been two days since Silver's announcement of the test, and since then the young mage had been working seemingly endlessly with his magical teacher. Then he snorted. _Why should I care about him? He was just some annoying brat who followed me._

"Gillick? Can I come in?"

The black haired boy's head shot up at the voice. Mala. "Fine," he conceded.

She walked through the entrance, blue eyes glittering with worry. When she just stood there in awkward silence, Gillick scowled at her. "Well? What do you want?"

She flinched at his tone and answered hurriedly, "I-I'm nervous."

"Obviously," Gillick growled.

Mala shook her head. "It's just…I remember what happened when _you _tried something like this, and it didn't end well. I'm not sure this will have a different result."

"Yeah, well, neither am I," Gillick responded. "But that's the way life goes, isn't it?"

"You're helpful," Mala muttered.

"If you were looking for comfort, you came to the wrong person," Gillick snapped.

Mala looked away, eyes flickering with frustration. "Why can't you be more like Trevor?"

"Oh? You _really _want me to be like him?"

Mala flinched at Gillick's acidic words. "Right…he's not…the same…"

Gillick snorted. "He's the same. You've just finally seen what was right in front of your face."

Mala turned to look at him, distress flickering in her eyes. "But…"

Gillick sighed, frustrated and annoyed by the sympathy he was beginning to feel. "Look, I know you expected him to be some amazing hero; the one that always beats the bad guys, always does the right thing, ect. But you forget that he's still human." He gave her a piercing look with burning amber eyes. "No one is perfect, and if you expect someone to be 'without faults', then you might want to leave."

Mala sighed. "I know, but…just because someone isn't perfect doesn't mean they can't be good."

Gillick sighed, leaning back. "You don't really want to fight them, do you?"

"Yes! No…I don't know!" Mala shook her head furiously. "I've always believed that Keybladers were supposed to be the good guys, but then things like this happen, and now…" She trailed off, seemingly unsure about how to continue.

Gillick shrugged. "Life sucks. Deal with it."

Instead of the glare he was expecting, the thief girl simply looked defeated. As she turned to leave, Gillick finally relented with a sigh. "Wait, Mala."

She stopped and looked back at him. "What?"

He'd kind of been hoping she'd keep going; now he had to figure out something to say. _What the hell did I do that for?_ He paused for a moment before finally going with what his heart was telling him. "I didn't always hate the Keybladers, you know. There was a time…when I thought they were the 'good guys', too."

Mala snorted. "Well that's a surprise," she muttered dryly.

His eye twitched, but he continued on, regardless. "When I began to see what the Keybladers were really like, I felt the same way you did at first; confused, scared, hurt. But I got over it, in time."

Mala shook her head. "No, you didn't." She turned to look at him squarely. "You say you're over it, but you're not. You're still hurt. Why else would you hate Keybladers so much?"

Gillick opened his mouth to respond, but had no answer. Apparently, though, it was all Mala needed. "Good night, Gillick. And…thanks for trying." And with those words, she left.

Gillick sat in silence for several moments. Then he muttered, "I need someone to remind me to never do that again."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter thirty - seven. Reviews would be appreciated! <em>


	38. Breaking In

_This is chapter thirty - eight. Thank you caitlinkeitorin and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - Eight: Breaking In**

"Alright, everyone, quiet down and listen up!"

Gillick rolled his eyes at Silver's barked command, but didn't make a comment on it. He, along with Mala, Riun, and three other Silver Fang warriors were gathered in the forest outside the Silver Fang's encampment. Silver stood before them, ready to issue the command that would take them to the Dark Army's stronghold.

Silver surveyed the small band. "Here's what we do. We'll slip quietly towards the stronghold, keeping close together. When we arrive, we'll split into three groups." She looked first towards the two mages of the group. "Jish. Riun. You two will be using your magic to attack from long range and draw the outer guards' attention."

"I'll see to it, Mistress," Jish responded. He was one of two non-human members of the group, and more or less resembled a bipedal cat with clothing.

Silver turned towards two of the other Silver Fang. "Gig. Wurlo. You two are the second group. If there are any guards that the mages can't draw off while we're together, you two will take care of that."

"Yes, ma'am!" both responded in unison, saluting. Gillick hadn't been able to help frowning at Silver's choice of bringing those two. Though he didn't know either very well, he didn't think a technician and a Moogle would be very well suited for going up against the Dark Army.

"If the mages can take all the guards," Silver continued, "then you two will stick with my group until we get inside. From there, we'll split up and search the interior. Speaking of my group…" She turned her eyes towards the only two she had yet to name. "Gillick. Mala. You're with me."

"Yes, ma'am," Mala replied hurriedly. Gillick didn't respond. He still wasn't happy about the mission.

Silver nodded. "Once inside, we're to do anything and everything we can to cause some problems for the Dark Army. We're to leave without a trace. If you get caught, make sure the enemy doesn't get any information."

"Meaning kill yourself," Gillick clarified sourly.

Silver gave him a look. "If necessary, yes." Gillick snorted and looked away. He could feel Silver still watching him as she continued. "Now, then, let's move out."

The moment the group of seven set out, Gillick hurried up to where Silver was walking in the lead, causing a few nervous whispers from the older members of the Silver Fang. "This is crazy. What do you think seven people can do?"

"Cause a few problems," Silver responded. "It's not like we're going up against the entire Dark Army."

_You don't know where we're going, _Gillick thought grimly. Knowing how close others were getting to the truth of his past, however, he chose not to make the comment. Instead, he chose to retort, "How do you know it isn't a main base? What if it's filled with Keybladers, and we're walking right into their hands?"

"Unlike your attempt on the Light Army," Silver replied calmly, "my plans have been carefully structured. I've had several Silver Fang running out to spy on this building over the past week. They've brought back sufficient data to validate a small assault."

So made it sound so simple. It made him sick. But seeing he wouldn't get anywhere this way, he switched tactics. "Then why put Mala in with us? She's a long range fighter; shouldn't she be with the mages?"

"Didn't you mention she was a thief?" Silver hissed back. "Those skills will be useful once we get inside. Now get back in line, unless you want to be doing…_unpleasant _duties for the next month."

Gillick didn't really plan on doing them, even if he was ordered, but decided he'd rather not deal with the resulting drama and feel back. _Fine. If she won't listen to me, I can come up with my own plan._ He closed his eyes briefly, bringing up what he knew about this stronghold from the depths of his memory.

'Prison' would be a better word for it than 'stronghold' or 'base', he decided. Or 'torture chamber'. He hadn't been there much during his time in the Dark Army, but it was mandatory that each Keyblader pay the place at least one visit. He'd come back twice after, to deliver prisoners. He hadn't been allowed to explore it fully, and, at that point, hadn't been brave enough to try and risk being caught. Still, he'd seen enough. He'd seen the Keybladers that'd been sent there; they were specifically chosen for their sadistic nature and trained in various ways of torture and interrogation. Several who were stationed there had informed him that Xuren had served there for several years before being elevated to general status. None of them were Keybladers that any sane person would chose to mess with.

He remembered the dungeons the most clearly. The condition of the prisoners was never good, and they were often crammed into several cells together. He'd been fairly desensitized by that time, but he'd still felt a small stab of pity for the people who'd gotten themselves into this mess.

He hadn't seen the torture chambers, but he'd heard the screams coming from them.

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed. _Even most of the Dark Army Keybladers dislike coming here._ He had been one of them. The conviction that Silver was leading them to their deaths became stronger than ever. _So I'll have to find a way to save our sorry asses. Great._ He was liking the idea of working with people less and less.

But he was here now, and he didn't really feel like dying. Reluctantly, he admitted he didn't want Mala and Riun to die, either; he didn't think he could really call him 'friends', but they'd proved themselves valuable allies. He wasn't sure he wanted Silver to die, either; he wasn't sure how much he liked her, but he did have a grudging respect for the female warrior. He didn't really know the other three, but he supposed he had to save them, too.

_So how are all of us going to get out?_ Their chances seemed slim. _Riun and Jish will already be outside the walls, so if anything happens, hopefully they can run. I don't know where Gig and Wurlo will end up; hopefully outside. I don't want to have to search for those two._ He frowned, still going over his options. _Well, Silver's right about one thing; Mala's skills as a thief will come in handy. Hopefully she can help us sneak around and find ways to get us out._ Then he snorted. _But she won't be much use if the Keybladers attack. She can barely get enough guts to face _normal _enemies; if those sadists find us, it'll be me and Silver against who-knows-how-many._ He shook his head, not liking where this was going. _Damn it! Everything's going to be left up to chance._ Then again, it wasn't that much different than his assault on the Light Army's base.

…That thought was not comforting.

_Unless Silver really _is _the Knight._ The thought came unbidden, and he glanced up to where the woman was walking. He'd had his suspicions before, but had put them aside after he'd learned that she was fighting against the Keybladers. It was true he didn't know much about the Knight; the only time he'd faced the creature had been long ago, when he was a young Keyblader in the Light Army. And…perhaps in that town…? …No, he didn't dare try and think of that again. _But I've heard about this thing from Mala and Riun, and seen places attacked by it. If she's the Knight…_ His amber eyes flickered uneasily. _We wouldn't have anything to worry about…but at what price?_

Silver stopped abruptly, jerking him out of his train of thought. Annoyed, he looked ahead to see what was causing the hold up. Just in front of them the trees began to thin out and the form of the Dark Army prison appeared. _Great. We're here, _he thought sarcastically.

"Everyone in position," Silver ordered.

"I don't remember you ever telling us 'positions'," Gillick commented dryly.

Silver glared at him. "With your group," she hissed.

"Yeah, and where will my group be?" Gillick retorted. "Or are we just going to walk in the front door and save them the trouble of hunting us down?"

Silver snorted. "Of course we're not going in the front entrance. My scouts found a side entrance we can sneak in." Silver glanced at Jish and Riun. "You two stay here and await my signal." Jish nodded calmly. Riun tried and put on a brave face and copy, but his fear still shone through. Then Silver led the two remaining groups off through the undergrowth.

The group of five traveled as silently as possible until Silver brought them to a halt by stopping and raising her hand. Gillick glanced past her to see a small, square door in the side of the stone building. _It's not very well hidden, _he thought, frowning. He wondered why they'd do something like that, and glanced towards Silver. She seemed smart most of the time. She could tell something was wrong, couldn't she?

Silver watched the door for a few moments, then turned her head and lifted her arm. _And they're supposed to see that through the trees? _Gillick thought, incredulous. Then magic was flying from the mages' hiding place towards the tower, and Gillick rolled his eyes. _Apparently._

"Go," Silver hissed quietly, signaling with her hands. The five moved quickly after her, still attempting to be as quiet as possible, though, in their hurry, were less successful than before. Silver pulled open the door, which left Gillick even more suspicious; normally, doors would be locked, especially in a place like this. What game were these Keybladers playing at?

Silver ushered the four through ahead of her. Gillick gauged their expressions as they went. Gig and Wurlo seemed unfazed, obviously having complete faith that their leader would get them out of trouble. _Idiots._ Mala, on the other hand, looked even more nervous than she had at the beginning of their mission. _She may be a coward, but she's not stupid, _he decided silently. He followed her, not bothering to hide his expression and instead trying to focus on finding any suspicious entity around the area.

The five made it inside the stronghold without too much trouble. Silver nodded to Gig and Wurlo, then turned and headed away, leading Mala and Gillick down one of the hallways.

"Are you sure we can trust her?" Mala hissed to Gillick.

"I'm not worried about how trust-worthy she is," he responded quietly. "I'm worried about her getting us killed with this dumb move."

"But…you aren't suspicious of her…at all?" Mala prompted.

He snorted quietly. "I thought you trusted everyone you met."

"You won't live very long like that," Mala retorted.

"Really? You didn't seem to have any trouble trusting the Keybladers or Riun or the Moogles."

"That's different," Mala insisted. "Riun's just a kid. The Moogles…well, they helped us, right? I still kept an eye on them. And the Keybladers…were supposed to be good." She fell into a sad silence.

Gillick, for once, decided to try and hide his exasperation with her. "Alright, listen, I don't know if you can trust _her_, but you can trust _me_. Got that?"

Mala looked at him in surprise. "You?"

"Don't sound so shocked," he growled, rolling his eyes. "I'm just doing this to get us out of here alive, that's all."

"And you don't think I can?" Mala responded hotly, seeming to hardly remember to keep her voice down.

"No." He met her gaze calmly. "You may be good at sneaking around, but when it comes to a fight, that's it. You're done. And face facts, Mala, you're more trusting than the average thief _should_ be; I don't know why or how, but you are. If you plan to get out of here, then you're going to have to trust me to help."

"Then the same goes for you," Mala responded. "You'll have to trust me to find the paths to get us out."

He noticed Silver looking back at them, motioning them forward urgently with curiosity glittering in her gaze. "And I guess we have to trust her, too," Gillick sighed.

He decided he was sick of all this talk of trust and continued forward with his two companions in silence.

"**Sir, **someone's entered through the side entrance."

The Keyblader in charge of the torture house nodded and smirked, deep amber eyes glittering. "I knew it was a good idea to set that up," he purred. "Are those magic strings of yours still attached to them?"

"It hurts that you doubt me," the other Keyblader replied.

"Then why don't you go find our visitors?" the master of the stronghold suggested. "We should give them a proper welcome."

The Keyblader before him smiled slightly, bowing. "I was hoping you'd say that, sir."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter thirty - eight. Review, please?<em>


	39. Torture Chamber

_This is chapter thirty - nine. Thank you caitlinkeitorin, Draconet, explosivebagel, and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Thirty - Nine: Torture Chamber**

Riun looked up at the cat-man beside him. "Mister Jish, I can't use any more magic," he informed him, worried. Did his magic disappear?

Jish, obviously noticing his young companion's fear, snorted with amusement. "Don't worry; it just needs some time to recharge, is all."

"Oh." Riun looked away, then looked back and asked, "Recharge?"

Jish nodded. "Put simply, magic takes up a certain amount of power. Once the type of power magic is used is depleted, it can't be used again until the power recharges itself."

"Ok…" Riun wasn't sure he understood the whole concept, but was afraid that he'd only get more confused by asking another question.

The cat-man snorted, a worried look suddenly appearing on his face. "Though it does cause some problems. Even if we can still draw enough guards away, running low on magic means we won't have much to defend ourselves."

Riun swallowed hard. Not for the first time since this had started, he wished he'd gone with Gillick and Mala. He knew both of them; he knew that Gillick would fight to protect him, and Mala would be able to find a way to get them out. That was what they were good at. But he didn't know much about his new teacher. His eyes didn't say anything _bad _about him…but it still wasn't the same.

He looked anxiously towards the stronghold. _Come back, guys…_

**Silver, **Gillick, and Mala walked silently through the halls of the Dark Army's stronghold/prison. Gillick's amber eyes flicked around the area. _I wonder if anyone's watching us, _he thought. It wouldn't surprise him.

Mala, of course, had her wary eyes flickering around even more than he did. She kept reaching twitching fingers up towards the bow on her back, then lowered them again before she could touch the weapon.

Even Silver, despite her earlier confidence, seemed wary. Gillick snorted. _At least she seems to understand _some _of the danger here._

But everything about this little 'visit' was making him uneasy. First there was the unguarded side entrance; now there was no sign of any guards. In fact, there was no sign of any people anywhere. Even in his previous visits here with the Dark Army, there'd been a few people roaming the halls. _Where is everyone? _he wondered. _What exactly is going on?_

He caught Mala's eye. In her blue gaze he saw that she was feeling the same way.

Silver stopped abruptly. "Mala," she hissed. The thief hurried up to her, but didn't say anything, instead just throwing her a questioning look. "I want you to go ahead and look for anything unusual. Report back to me if you find anything."

Mala blinked, her eyes wide, and looked back at Gillick. He snorted. _She may be good at what she does, but this place…_ He reached up and touched the hilt of his sword, giving her a small nod. She blinked slowly, then turned around and hurried silently up the corridor.

"And while she's gone," whispered Gillick, "what exactly will we be doing?"

"Examining the rooms we come across along the way," Silver whispered in response. She gestured to the door beside her. "Such as this one."

_Don't tell me she's just going to open it, _Gillick thought, stifling a groan. However, it appeared that Silver hadn't become leader of her warriors for nothing. She pulled a pebble out from a pocket in her pants, rolling it towards the door. It knocked against the wood quietly, but otherwise nothing happened. Satisfied with the outcome, Silver retrieved the pebble and slowly withdrew one of her swords. She drew it along the door and, when nothing else happened, she pressed her ear against the crack in the wood. Not hearing anything, she tried the knob. It opened with ease.

She looked back at Gillick when he hesitated. "Well? Come on."

"Thorough search," he commented, "but I doubt we'll find anything useful in here."

Silver glanced at him. "Why do you say that?"

"And here I was, giving you some credit," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "If they'd had something important to hide, they would have put barricades up around the door. Or at least locked it."

"Possibly," Silver conceded. "But they probably don't expect anyone but themselves to be able to get in."

Gillick felt a twinge of frustration that he tried to push aside. "You don't know that," he growled. _You don't know these people._ "Everything about this seems, I don't know, odd? You might want to lose some of your overconfidence."

"Overconfidence?" Silver scoffed. "I have just the right amount of confidence, thank you very much."

Gillick rolled his eyes. "Tell me that when we're all dead."

If she heard him, she chose to ignore it. Instead, she continued to search the room. Gillick watched for a few moments, then, growing bored and frustrated, helped half-heartedly. The result was as expected. "Nothing," Silver sighed.

"Like I said," Gillick commented.

"Not the time," Silver growled.

"Did you find anything?"

Both started at the sound of Mala's voice. They turned to look at her, with Silver saying, "Mala. I didn't hear you come back."

She shrugged. "That's part of being a thief; being quiet."

"And no, we didn't find anything," Gillick added, giving Silver a dark glare.

Said green - eyed woman was pointedly ignoring him. "Anything unusual?"

Mala suddenly went very pale, and Gillick had a sinking feeling that he knew _exactly _what she'd found. "There were a few doors along the way, but I didn't notice anything strange about them, so I passed over them."

"Passed over them?" Silver growled.

"Keep going," Gillick told her. Maybe if Silver heard, it'd dissuade her.

Mala swallowed hard. "But then…I heard screaming." She shuddered. "I didn't follow it to its source, but…I could hear it well enough. Whoever it was kept saying they didn't know anything…and then they'd scream in pain."

Silver inhaled deeply. "A torture chamber."

"Do you see what a bad idea this was _now_?" Gillick hissed.

"No," Silver replied calmly, surprising him. "This is better."

Gillick wasn't sure he'd heard right. "I'm sorry, did you just say this was 'better'?"

"Yes," Silver answered quietly. "Don't you see? We can cause them even more problems than I thought?"

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed into a furious glare. "Don't you even care about those people? Is fighting the Keybladers all you think about?"

"Of course I care about the people," Silver retorted, "but defeating the Keybladers is more important."

Gillick couldn't help feeling as if he were staring into a mirror. His eyes darkened as he heard some of his own opinions echoed and saw some of his own faults reflected back at him. "Just remember that the end doesn't always justify the means," he growled in warning.

Silver frowned at him, then walked past him without another word. Gillick watched her go, then said quietly, "Mala?"

The thief girl hesitated at the doorway. "Yeah?"

"…Is that how I look?"

Mala snorted, a small smile tugging on her lips. "Well, no, of course you're not a girl."

Gillick's eyes narrowed into a glare. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Mala's smile fell, and she looked away from him without a sound. That was answer enough for him. He shut his amber eyes tightly. _What am I becoming? _he wondered silently. _Am I turning into the very monster I left the armies to avoid becoming?_

He'd brushed past Mala and begun heading after Silver when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He glanced back and saw Mala looking at him with clear blue eyes. "You _were _that way," she whispered. "But I think you've changed."

He felt a pulse of surprise at the answer, then allowed himself a small smile. Not a smirk, not a self-satisfied grin, just…a smile. "Thanks…Mala."

**Silver **was pressed near the wall when Gillick and Mala caught up to her. The sounds of screaming echoed through the area. Gillick winced. _Not a place I missed, _he thought grimly.

Silver glanced back at them. "What kept you?" she hissed at them.

"Nothing important," Gillick answered immediately.

Silver snorted, returning her gaze to the area in front of her. "Well, this torture chamber must be just up ahead; shall we go?"

He knew she wouldn't accept an answer of 'no', so he didn't answer, and he and Mala followed in silence.

As they drew closer to their destination, they began to hear the quieter voice of the tormentor. At first, everything was indistinct; then, as they drew closer, the words became clearer. "Stop," Silver hissed, using her arm to bar the way.

Gillick snorted. _Because an arm is so intimidating._ But he obeyed anyways, knowing what would be in that room.

There was a sound of a woman's voice first. "I told you, I don't know what you want!"

Gillick stiffened, and glanced at Mala. She nodded, signaling she recognized the voice, too. "The assassin," she mouthed.

Then a second voice came. "I'm not so sure of that."

"Why the hell would I have kept it from you this long?" the assassin spluttered. "I wouldn't purposefully put myself through this!"

"You would if you owed allegiance to the Light Army."

"But I _don't_."

"You accepted a job from them, didn't you?"

"I accept jobs from anyone who's offering."

Gillick couldn't help but feel impressed; the assassin still sounded strong, regardless of what tortures she'd been through since arriving here.

"Tell me what you know about the X-blade."

The words snapped Gillick back into reality. He frowned. _Keyblade…?_ He felt a hand tap his shoulder, and looked over to see Mala looking at him with the same questions in her eyes. "Why would he need to know about the Keyblade?" she whispered. "Isn't he a Keyblader?"

"You're expecting me to know the answer?" Gillick retorted. "I'm as clueless as you are."

"It's not _Keyblade_," Silver hissed to them. "It's _X_-blade."

"It sounds the same to me," Gillick responded. The look on Silver's face, though, indicated it wasn't. "What's so important about this 'X-blade'?"

Silver looked pale and her eyes were wide; she didn't seem to be listening to him. "How could…they know about that?"

"Silver," Gillick growled, hoping to get a response out of her.

All three froze at the sound of a voice. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

**The **man in the cloak looked down into the murky waters in his cave filled with light. He kept expecting to see something - hoping for it, dreading it - but no image appeared. "What is happening out there?"

He sighed, walking a few paces away. At least before, he could keep track of things through the sword he'd given the boy with the amber eyes, two years ago. He'd even been able to help out a bit, where help was needed. But now…everything was hidden. And he couldn't understand why.

"When was the last time I received something?" he murmured, eyes narrowing in thought. The image of a battle against a woman with short blond hair and green eyes came to mind instantly. "Ah, yes…that was it." He frowned, closing his eyes. "Something about _her _has caused everything to go awry. But what?"

An answer hit him like a rock. His eyes snapped open, a wild, fearful light in them. "But…no, it couldn't be…" He whirled back around to look at the empty pool. "I must find the boy, and quickly. Great trouble may arise…if I reach him too late."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter thirty - nine. Please review?<em>


	40. Discovered

_This is chapter forty. Thank you explosivebagel and Dracula X for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty: Discovered**

Gillick whipped around at the sound of the voice, jerking his sword out of its scabbard in the same instant. The man standing before them wore the armor panels of a Keyblader from the Dark Army and a sadistic smirk, but he wasn't attacking them…yet. "It looks like three blind mice have stumbled into my house."

Gillick snorted. "I'm not interested in nursery rhymes." Mala shot him a look of combined frustration and nervousness, but he chose to ignore it.

The man snorted. "I'm sorry, I must correct myself." He looked over the three people glaring at him. "One mouse…and two rats."

"Very clever of you," Silver commented dryly.

Gillick noticed the Keyblader's yellow eyes flicker and tensed immediately. _Get ready…_ "Really? I thought so too." Then his Keyblade burst into his hand and he launched himself forward.

Gillick, however, was ready, and rose to intercept his blow.

Mala gasped with surprise and, out of the corner of his eye, he could see that even Silver appeared stunned. The Keyblader before him, however, just seemed amused. "Oh, I suppose I should've known you'd see it coming."

Gillick had a sinking feeling he knew where this was heading, and he had no intention of letting his secret get revealed. "Mala! Silver! Get the person in that torture chamber out of there!"

"I believe I'm the one giving orders, here," Silver retorted, frowning.

At the same moment, Mala exclaimed, "Are you nuts? She's the assassin that's been trying to kill you!"

Gillick suddenly felt his feet swept out from under him. "We don't have time to argue!" he growled after he hit the floor, rolling to the side to avoid being impaled by the dark man's weapon.

"I suppose…you have a point," Silver allowed.

The next moment, Gillick heard her footsteps and Mala's receding, the sounds of the torture chamber replaced with new ones. _That takes care of that, _he thought. _No to take care of this…_

The Keyblader brought his weapon down towards Gillick, who rolled over himself and returned to his feet. "Oh, so you don't want them to know you were part of our army once, do you?"

"Why do you care?" Gillick spat, taking the opportunity to go on the offensive and charge forward.

"I don't," the Keyblader responded, parrying the blow and taking several hops backwards. "Just curious, is all."

Gillick's eyes narrowed in frustration as he whipped around and brought his sword down in a powerful overhead arc towards his opponent's head. The dark Keyblader spun smoothly to the side. While his back was still towards Gillick, he lifted his Keyblade above his head and pointed it backwards, a burst of darkness flying from the tip. The former Keyblader, unprepared for the attack, was hit dead on by the blow. He stumbled, but was able to prevent himself from falling.

He eyed the Dark Army Keyblader warily as he began to slink around him with all the grace of a cat. _I can't fight this guy like I normally do, _he thought in frustration as he watched the man; his opponent's yellow eyes were narrowed in sadistic amusement, a wolfish smile curling his lips. Gillick's felt his heart pound with agitation. _At least Xuren can be provoked; this guy doesn't seem to be bothered by _anything. And that was what would make him an all the more challenging opponent.

Gillick feinted to the right, then slipped to the left, lashing his sword out. The man parried his blow. "Oh, you'll never get anywhere that way," he purred.

Gillick kept moving, trying to dodge around behind his opponent so he could hit him. However, the Keyblader kept spinning around to face him, moving easily on his toes. Frustrated, he snapped, "What are we doing, fighting or dancing?"

"I don't see why we can't-"

He didn't have the chance to finish his sentence; Gillick had lunged forward to strike him while he spoke. He'd managed to lift his Keyblade in time to keep from getting impale, but Gillick was able to slide his sword down the weapon and cut open the other man's side. Then he began to hammer at him.

Gillick's success was short lived. After only a few more blows, the Keyblader sent him flying with magic. He managed to keep his feet, though barely, and his head was ringing and body hurting from the impact. Grimacing, he lifted his head to glare at the Keyblader.

The other man had a few painful - looking cuts, and his expression had changed from one of morbid amusement to one of fury. Then his expression relaxed again, and he purred, "That wasn't very polite, now was it, Gillick?"

"Because you're just _so polite_," Gillick growled back at him, dashing forward. He ducked low, then jumped upwards, attempting to hit the man with an upward slash.

The Keyblader twisted his Keyblade around Gillick's weapon, nearly causing the black-haired boy to lose it. "Oh, but I am," the Keyblader responded, lifting a leg and kicking his opponent back. "When you die, I will thank you for it."

Gillick skidded backwards, and tried to start moving again immediately before his opponent could strike. "Thanks a lot," he muttered.

He eyed his opponent as he moved. The Keyblader seemed content to wait for him to make the next move, so he stopped momentarily, though he didn't take his eyes off him. He frowned, thinking. _What can I do to through this guy off his guard?_

Suddenly the Keyblader lunged at him. An idea sparked to life in his mind, and he let himself fall backwards. The only sign that his opponent was caught off guard was the rapid blink he gave, but it was enough to give Gillick a thrill of satisfaction. He took the opportunity to knock his opponent's legs out from under him, causing him to come crashing down beside him. Gillick slashed his sword out to the side to cut through the man's skin and clothes before he rolled over, regaining his feet. Then he jumped forward, lifting his sword above his head to bring it down upon his opponent.

The Keyblader, however, was able to recover, returning to his feet in a similar manner as Gillick had. They lifted their weapons, striking and parrying blows for a few moments before jumping away, watching each other warily. The Keyblader smirked. "Well played. Perhaps you are a worthy opponent after all."

**Mala **didn't like this. She didn't like the idea of leaving Gillick to fight that man all by himself…although, she had to admit, she liked the idea of fighting him herself even less. She also didn't like the idea of running into a torture chamber to save someone who was likely to turn and around and stab them in the back.

Silver had drawn her twin sword from her back, and Mala instinctively pulled off her bow and strung an arrow. Then Mala saw just what lay before her and paled considerably. A woman was strapped to a table in the chamber, with burn marks lacing the visible parts of her body. She assumed that was the assassin, who looked a lot worse off than when she'd last seen her. Nearby was a man holding a Keyblade.

Silver wasted no time in lunging forward, her twin blades clashing against the dark Keyblader's one. "Wasn't expecting guests," he commented, his face oddly calm.

Silver glanced towards Mala. "Mala, get Allia out of those shackles!"

"Allia?" Mala questioned.

"Who's the only one here in shackles?" the assassin hissed from the table. She swallowed hard, then hesitantly slipped her bow back onto her back and returned the arrow, heading over to help the assassin.

"How does she know your name?" Mala asked quietly.

"You thought Gillick was the only one who ever ticked the Keybladers off, girlie?" Allia scoffed. "Silver had a hit on her, too, and I was sent out to kill her by the Dark Army's leader. Decided I preferred to let her live."

"What?" Silver yelped, obviously overhearing the conversation. "I beat you, you-" her words turned into a cry of pain as the Dark Army Keyblader slashed his blade into her side.

"Maybe you should pay more attention to the fight!" Allia called, sounding amused.

Mala looked hesitantly towards the assassin. "You're not going to kill us the minute I let you go, are you?"

"Oh, so there _is _a brain in there," Allia commented dryly. "Though apparently not much, considering that any fool could see I'm too injured to do _anything _at the moment."

Seeing her point, Mala bent down and examined the shackles around the assassin's wrists. She pulled her lock picks out of her pouch and inserted them into the lock.

Mala found it difficult to ignore the battle raging behind her, and more than anything wanted to turn and run away. Once, a bolt of magic hit near her, and she let out a yelp of fear, flinching away and ceasing all movement for several moments until Allia's jeering gave her the courage to continue. Finally, the lock clicked around her one wrist. "There. That one's free," she whispered, shaking. "Only…three more to go…"

Allia watched Mala as best she could as she shifted around the back of the table to the assassin's other hand. "Explain something to me," she commanded. "You don't like this; you're scared shitless. I can tell you want to run and hide yourself away somewhere. So why are you here? Something valuable here for you to steal, and you just got mixed in with this mess?"

"It's…not easy to explain," Mala replied quietly, trying to focus on her work and ignore everything else. How could she explain how hurt and abandoned she felt after what Trevor had done? How could she explain about her world coming crashing down around her?

Allia snorted with amusement, a sudden grin crossing her face. "It's Gillick, isn't it? He got you all messed up in this?"

"What?" Mala yelped in surprise, the lock clicking open in the same moment.

Allia sat up slowly with a grimace of pain, rubbing her wrists. "Well, you were with him last time, weren't you? You could've left him behind to me, but you didn't. And what the chick over there's fighting for sounds like it's something that's right up his alley. So I'm guessing he's involved in this. It'd make sense you'd want to be involved, too, seeing as you two are pals."

"We're not exactly 'pals'," Mala informed her awkwardly.

"No?" Allia asked. "Well, then I suppose you're comrades. Either way, you two are connected to each other."

Mala opened her mouth to deny it, then stopped. _How many times have we crossed paths? _she wondered. _How many times have we ended up working together?_ …Too many, it seemed.

The sound of Silver's swords clanging on the chains still attached to Allia's legs brought Mala back to reality with a yelp of surprise. "You were taking too long," the woman explained briskly before she was forced to turn around and fight the Dark Army Keyblader again.

"What now?" Mala muttered.

"We run," Allia explained simply.

Mala nodded an assent, slipping her shoulder beneath the assassin's to support her as she edged nervously towards the door. "Silver! Let's go!"

"I'm not leaving yet!" Silver barked. "Get her out of here; when you're done, come back!"

"W-what?" Mala stuttered.

"You're insane!" Allia snapped at the leader of the Silver Fang. "These guys will eat you alive. Get out now, instead of dying for your damn pride."

Silver looked away. "Just go, you two."

"Idiot," Allia muttered. Mala glanced from Silver to Allia, then made her way out of the torture chamber.

**Gillick **was panting with exertion as he and his opponent jumped apart. Now that he was beginning to understand his opponent's odd actions, the Keyblader was proving to be less difficult, and both warriors had sizeable cuts along their bodies. He heard a sound behind him and jumped towards the wall, pressing his back flat against the surface. He didn't relax even when he saw who it was. "Where's Silver?" he barked.

"Still in there, fighting," Mala replied, looking paler than a ghost.

"What?"

"She wouldn't listen when I told her it was time to leave," the assassin muttered; she was currently being supported by Mala.

_Even I wouldn't do something as crazy as that, _Gillick thought dryly. "Get going!" he told Mala.

"But…what about…"

"You're not going to be any help fighting," Gillick barked. "We all know that by now. Use what you can do to get the assassin out, and see if you can find the others."

Mala hesitated, then nodded, a steely determination appearing in her eyes. "Ok." Then she headed off.

Gillick began to head towards the door to the torture chamber, but had to stop and block an attack from the Dark Army Keyblader. "You didn't forget about me, now did you, hm?" the Keyblader purred.

Gillick gritted his teeth. "Maybe it's time I made you nothing but a memory."

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter forty. If you'd review, I'd appreciate it!<em>


	41. Revelation

_This is chapter forty - one. Thank you Dracula X and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter._

**Chapter Forty - One: Revelation **

Gillick pulled a double feint as he lunged forward towards the Dark Army Keyblader. He spun just as the man began to sidestep, attempting to slash him with his sword. However, the Keyblader was able to block the blow with his weapon, though the force of it still sent him skittering backwards. Hoping to catch him off balance, Gillick lunged forward, attempting to cut through him.

The Keyblader recovered before Gillick could finish his strike.

Frustrated, the warrior dropped to the ground, trying to knock the Keyblader's legs out from under him again. The man jumped easily over his swipe. "Do you really think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"

Gillick smirked. "I wasn't counting on it." And he stabbed his sword upward.

The Keyblader, caught in midair and off guard, could do little to defend himself. He drew his Keyblade around to try and block the blow, but it was sloppy, and ended up leaving him relatively defenseless. Gillick moved from a stab to a slash as the Keyblader fell, turning his body as well as his sword to cut a large, bloody gash through the man's clothes and skin. He gasped as he collapsed to the floor, his Keyblade disappearing into the darkness. Gillick rolled back to his feet, moving forward and lifting his sword to deal the final blow.

Then he stopped. The man was already dead.

Gillick lowered his sword, snorting. _That was more trouble than it was worth._ He looked to the door of the torture chamber. _Now to get Silver out of here…_

Gillick peered in through the door of the chamber before entering. _She's holding her own, _he admitted grudgingly. _But we don't have time to wait and see how this plays out._ He slipped into the room, rushing the Keyblader with his sword ready.

Silver shot him a sharp look when he entered. "I don't need your help."

"I wasn't coming to help you," he informed her dryly. "I was coming to drag you out of here."

"We can't leave without finishing the mission!" Silver argued furiously.

"What mission?" Gillick hissed.

They were both forced to focus on the Keyblader as he slashed at them. Gillick jumped back, out of range, while Silver blocked the strike with one of her swords, slashing the other towards his legs. He stepped to the side to avoid the blow, but was unprepared for Silver sliding her weapon down the shaft of his blade. Blood sprayed from his throat as it was cut open and he slumped to the ground.

Silver bent down to clean her sword of blood on the Keyblader's clothes, saying as she did, "The one where we foil the Dark Army's plans."

Gillick's eyes narrowed. "And you think attacking this place will do that?" he snarled furiously. "Aren't you supposed to be _smart _to lead an army?"

"Watch your tongue," Silver warned him, green eyes narrowed.

Gillick sheathed his sword. "We're leaving."

"You don't have the authority to do that, nor to you have my permission," Silver informed him.

"Good thing I wasn't asking for it." He grabbed Silver's arm and began dragging her away, despite her protests.

He felt pain on his wrist as she hacked at it with her sword. Furious, he whipped around, grabbing her hand and forcing her to move her own weapon up to her throat. "Listen! We can't do much here. This whole thing's been suspicious from the beginning, and these Keybladers aren't exactly normal. Right now, it's better to run and _survive_." His eyes narrowed. "And don't call me a coward again."

Silver held his gaze for a few moments, a stubborn light still glittering in her eyes, before she finally relented. "Fine," she growled. "We'll go…for now."

Gillick nodded, still wary as he let go of her arm and watched her sheath her swords. "Then let's get moving."

The two raced down the halls, not bothering to worry about prying eyes. "Do you remember the way to the exit?" Gillick asked.

"Of course I do," Silver responded, rolling her eyes.

_Something's wrong. We aren't being followed._ Gillick frowned, looking around him. However, he didn't have time to puzzle about why their assailants had let up on them, or if the Keybladers had found them simply by chance. Right now, he had to be focused on getting out.

**Mala **slipped into the relative safety of the trees, panting from supporting Allia's extra weight. The assassin gave a disapproving noise. "I'm not that heavy."

"Doesn't mean you don't feel that way," Mala panted.

"What was that?" Mala swallowed hard, clamping her mouth shut tightly. _That was a dumb thing to say, _she decided, not wanting to provoke the assassin into attacking her…though her logical mind told her that that would be unlikely, at the moment.

"We should regroup with the mages," Wurlo told them. Mala had run into the Moogle and his companion on her way out, and the two had joined her and Allia as they escaped.

Mala glanced nervously towards the Dark Army's fortress. "But…what about Gillick and Silver?"

"They can fight well enough," Allia growled. "Those Keybladers may be maniacs, but those to know their way around their weapons. They'll be fine."

"But even you couldn't escape them," Mala murmured.

"That's because their leader caught me off guard, and you're little friend had already left me fried." She looked at Mala's face and sighed. "Stop worrying; it's not doing anyone any good."

Mala swallowed hard. _Could I go back in there…and help them?_ She felt her heart clench inside her chest. The idea of going back in there terrified her.

Then two shapes appeared from the 'hidden' side door and began racing towards them. Mala sagged in relief. "It's them!"

Allia snorted. "Apparently they took a more _direct _route," she hinted to Mala. At that point, however, the thief could care less what the assassin thought of her.

Gillick and Silver skidded up to them, panting and bloody. "You found Gig and Wurlo," Silver commented.

"Yeah," Mala replied with a nod. She glanced towards Gillick, and he gave her a subtle nod of approval.

Silver looked away. "Let's find the mages and head back. For now, our work is done."

**The **group of eight traveled in silence back to the Silver Fang's current camp. Each seemed to be occupied in his or her own thoughts. Gillick looked up to where Silver was walking; the assassin, who he'd discovered was named Allia, was now hanging off her to give Mala a break. His amber eyes narrowed. _They were talking about something called a X-blade_, he thought, _and you know what it is._

He wanted in on this secret.

He quickened his pace to match Silver's. She glanced towards him. "Don't think I'm happy with you, Gillick. You'll be doing odd jobs around the camp, mark my words."

"What's the X-blade?"

Silver blinked, obviously caught off guard. "What?"

"You heard me," Gillick growled at her. "When those Keybladers were talking about the X-blade, when they were torturing _her_," he signaled to Allia, making the subject frown, "you knew what it was. Now I want some answers."

"You know?" Allia asked in surprise. "Well, isn't that…interesting."

Silver focused her gaze forward. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Gillick seethed with frustration. "Don't play dumb! I _heard_ you!"

"Maybe you heard wrong."

Seeing that she was determined to be stubborn, he whipped around and barked, "Mala!"

The thief girl looked towards him, startled, before hurrying over. Riun, cocking his head curiously, decided to follow. Jish, Gig, and Wurlo all looked at what was going on curiously, but seemed not to be too interested and hung back.

Gillick turned his amber eyes to Mala. "You heard Silver talking about the X-blade, right?"

Silver shot her a death glare from burning green eyes. Mala looked at them nervously, then pointedly looked away. "Y-yeah."

"Why are we talking about the Keyblade?" Riun piped up.

"Oh, apparently, this 'X-blade' isn't the one we're all familiar with," Allia commented. She looked towards Allia. "And even if the thief hadn't confirmed it, you're suspicious behavior would have. So, spill it."

"No," Silver said firmly. "This isn't something that should be discussed."

"But secrets aren't fun," Riun said, looking up at Silver.

"He's right, you know," Mala commented. "How are we supposed to trust you if you hide things from us?"

Gillick looked away, thinking of a secret of his own that he was desperate to keep.

Silver looked them all over carefully, then relented with a sigh. "Fine. But the fewer who know, the better." She stopped, looking at the three remaining Silver Fang. "You three go on ahead; I need to discuss something with this group." Jish, Gig, and Wurlo all looked confused and curious, but didn't question the order.

"So what's the X-blade?" Gillick prompted after they'd left.

"Why does it sound like 'Keyblade'?" Riun added.

Silver sighed. "Where do I begin…?" She shook her head. "Well, I suppose the best place to start is when my home town was attacked by Keybladers." Mala flinched, Riun gasped, and Allia simply looked amused. Only Gillick's expression remained the same as she continued. "We hadn't chosen to align ourselves with either side yet, and, eventually, the Keybladers became sick of it. So, one day, the Light Army attacked us."

"The Light Army?" Mala whispered, looking pale.

Silver ignored her as if she'd never spoken. "They destroyed everything in their path, including lives. My parents hid me away in a secret compartment in our house; they never told me what it was initially built for. In any case, I hid there until the sounds of fighting ended. When I came out, I found my parents slaughtered. I was only about ten at the time."

Riun seemed to grow smaller. "I don't like this story."

"You guys are the ones that asked," Silver reminded him. She shook her head. "Besides, it's in the past; nothing can be done."

Gillick snorted in grim amusement. "And you think just because it's over means it stops hurting? If you do, you're an even bigger fool than I thought you were."

Silver turned to glare at him, fury burning in her eyes. "I never said that! Don't put words in my mouth!"

Gillick was unfazed. "Whatever. The X-blade?"

"Right," Silver murmured, looking away, though she still appeared angry. "My parents didn't go down without a fight, and the entire house was a mess. As I rummaged through the wreckage, a found an old book…one which I'd seen my mother keep close to her person nearly at all times. She let no one look at it, not even my father. Originally, I took it as a keepsake, and left the ruined town. As I wandered, however, I began to read the book, and discovered something interesting."

"And that's about the X-blade?" Allia guessed.

Silver nodded. "The X-blade, apparently, was a very powerful form of the Keyblades we are familiar with, able to open some gate to a power known as Kingdom Hearts. There wasn't too much about the details of what this 'power' could do, and only a little about the X-blade itself. Mostly, it was about how to forge the weapon."

"I see. So that's how this interference came about."

The five started at the new voice, and whipped around to face the direction it had come from. Gillick's eyes widened in shock. _That's the man who gave me my sword!_

"**Sir, **I followed them with my magic strings, like you asked."

The Dark Army Keyblader looked to his companion. "Good. And what did you find?"

"That woman, Silver, knows how to forge the X-blade."

The Keyblader in charge of operations at the Dark Army prison started, then a wicked grin appeared on his face. "Really? How intriguing. Send word to Master Viril; I'm sure he'll want to know."

"At once, sir."

The Dark Army Keyblader turned around, still grinning. "You'd better look out, Light. You're days are numbered."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter forty - one. Review, please?<em>


	42. Heart of the Sword

_Here's chapter forty - two. Thank you caitlinkeitorin, Dracula X, Eddie Camp, and Vixro for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Two: Heart of the Sword**

"Who are you?" Silver asked.

At the same moment, Gillick barked, "What are you doing here?"

The man looked first at Silver, then to Gillick. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Then he turned his gaze to Mala. "So, young one, have you managed to overcome your fear?"

Mala blinked in surprise, recognition suddenly flaring in the blue depths of her eyes. "You're the man who talked to me when the Knight was attacking…twice!"

The corners of the man's tips twitched into a smile. "Good to see you remember me."

"Are you going to answer the question or not?" Silver snarled, drawing one of her swords and placing it up against the man's neck. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

The man didn't seem at all fazed by Silver's hostility. "I believe that is two questions, miss," he told her calmly, "but I will answer them both. Who I am is of no importance." Silver seemed less than satisfied with that answer, but remained silent as the man continued. "I came here to check on something."

"Check on what?" Silver asked suspiciously, still not lowering her weapon.

"What'd you mean by 'interference'?" Gillick added.

The man glanced towards him, then returned his gaze to Silver. "What I have to say is not available to all ears."

Silver wasn't moved. "How do you know I can trust you?"

The man's eyes flicked back to Gillick. The boy snorted. _Great. The only way I get to hear anything is if I get rid of Silver._ "I know him," he told the Silver Fang leader reluctantly. "It's fine."

Silver looked at him through narrowed green eyes, curiosity glittering in their depths, but slowly lowered her weapon. The man nodded. "All but Gillick must leave, please." Slowly, the others began filing away; Silver still had a suspicious look on her face. "Oh, and miss? The one with the sword."

Silver stopped and looked back at him. "Yes?"

"You wouldn't be trying to use that information on the X-blade, would you?"

Silver looked appalled at the idea. "Of course not! I have no interest in using anything _at all _related to the Keyblade."

The man examined her a moment before nodding. "Good. In that case, be careful on how much information you let out about the weapon."

"Like I haven't been," Silver muttered, stalking away with Allia still slung over her shoulder.

Gillick watched them go, then turned his amber eyes to the man. "What's so secret that they needed to leave?" he questioned. "And what was this 'interference' you needed to check?"

The man sighed, looking at Gillick. "This is about your sword."

Gillick blinked in surprise. "My sword?"

The man nodded. "Yes. I need to warn you, boy, that the weapon you carry has great power; be careful."

Gillick snorted. "Thanks, but I think I can manage."

The man shook his head, pity and regret in his eyes. "You have no idea, child, what will come about if you're not careful." With that, the man turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Gillick called after him, following. "What the hell do you mean? And you never said anything about the interference!"

But the man had disappeared, as if into thin air.

Gillick looked around him wildly, surprise glittering in his amber eyes. _What power is there in my sword?_ he wondered, reaching up to touch the hilt of the weapon.

Then he thought of something else, and he felt his blood run cold. _I can't think of anything special about the sword, except the ruins. But what about another sword I've wielded?_ He looked up to where he'd last seen the man. _Does he know that I used to be a Keyblader?_

**Gillick **arrived back in the Silver Fang's camp at nightfall, a frown creasing his face. He looked up and saw Silver, Allia, Mala, and Riun staring at him. He snorted in exasperation. "You guys waited for me?"

"What did he want to talk to you about?" Silver asked without preamble.

Gillick's eyes narrowed as he paused to think about how he should answer. What if this led back to him talking about the Keyblade? "Nothing," he informed them, pushing by.

"An awful big deal for nothing, isn't it?" Allia asked.

"Why are you even waiting with them?" he asked the assassin.

She shrugged, wincing at the movement. "You were one of my targets at one point; I guess I can't help but wonder what that man was so interested in you for."

"For nothing important," Gillick retorted. "Just some useless nonsense."

Silver didn't say anything, but Gillick knew he hadn't convinced her. However, he couldn't care less. He continued forward towards his tent without another word.

_Why did I ever get involved with people again? _he wondered. _If I stay here for much longer, they might find out about…_ No. He wouldn't let himself think about that. He pushed his way into the tent, closing his eyes tightly. _They can't know. If they do…what then?_ Why did he care so much about what they thought of him? He'd never cared before. He'd wanted to hide the fact that he was a Keyblader because he wanted to erase his past, not because he cared about what _people thought of him._

Used _to be a Keyblader, _he corrected silently, wondering why he'd made it seem like he still was one. He clenched his fists to stop them from shaking. _I never should've come back. Ever since I did, things have gone wrong._

"Gillick?"

His eyes snapped open as he heard the sound of Mala's voice. "What?" he snapped, in no mood to talk.

"Um…can we come in?"

"No."

He heard a sigh, then the sound of the tent flaps being pushed aside. Gillick rolled his eyes at the fact that they'd ignored him, and turned around to see Mala and Riun standing in the tent. "Since you're going to ignore me," he growled, "what do you want?"

"We want to make sure you're Ok," Riun said, looking up at him with earnest eyes.

"Well, if I'm not, it doesn't really matter, does it?" Gillick responded harshly.

Riun flinched back. Mala frowned at his tone, then looked as if she made an effort to hide it. "Listen, we've been around you enough to know when you're upset."

Gillick turned amber eyes to her blue. "You're point? It's not something you can help me with."

"We might be able to…if you don't let your pride get in the way," Mala informed him dryly.

She seemed to realize too late she'd said the wrong thing. He stepped away from them, looking away. "No. Just leave me be."

By now, she obviously knew better than to argue. She looked at him for a few moments, then turned around and left. Riun reluctantly began to follow. He paused at the entrance, then ran back and wrapped his arms around Gillick in a hug. Stunned, the older boy looked down at him. "Feel better!" Riun told him, releasing him and going after Mala.

Gillick looked after him, amber eyes narrowed. He snorted, a small smile reluctantly curling his lips. _Idiots._ Then his smile fell as he remembered exactly _what_ he couldn't tell them.

**Gillick **soon found he was too restless to sleep. He tossed and turned, but couldn't get his mind to slow down enough to attain the oblivion of his dreams. He snorted. _Sometimes._ He didn't forget that images from his past often cropped up in his dreams. He would drift into an anxious sleep a few times, but would always jerk back awake.

His head jerked up at the sound of something. He stiffened, a shiver running up his spine. _That sounded like…a Corridor of Darkness._ There was only one thing that could mean…

He grabbed jerked his sword from his scabbard, which was laying beside him, and raced out of his tent.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one to notice the disturbance, since several other Silver Fang warriors came barreling out of their tents, weapons at the ready. But before anyone could shout a warning, Dark Army Keybladers began swarming out of the darkness. Gillick watched as one Silver Fang warrior seemed to be brought down by nothing, and tensed. _Better be careful. They could be anywhere._

Luck was what saved him. He stepped to the side, preparing to turn around and look for an enemy to fight, when the Keyblade went whistling just beside him. His amber eyes widened in alarm before he whipped around and impaled the startled and off -balanced Keyblader with his weapon. _One down, _he thought, _but I have a feeling we have a lot more to go._

As Dark Army Keybladers began to converge more openly on the Silver Fang's camp, more of the warriors came pouring out of their tents. Gillick was immediately in the fray, attempting to drown the chaos of his mind with the dance of battle. He slashed a quick three - strike combo to dig himself into the mass, then spun in a circle, sword out, to lash at the people that crowded him. He felt his blade cut through flesh, and felt a flash of triumph.

Then he realized his error and quickly jumped out of the throng. Frustration seethed inside his heart. _I can't attack like that because I might hit one of the Silver Fang._ Another reason he didn't like being around others. He parried a blow from a Keyblader, amber eyes narrowed. _And in this darkness, it'll be hard to tell who's who for everyone._

He kicked out his foot, sending the Keyblader stumbling backwards, then launched forward with a barrage of strikes, attempting to overwhelm his opponent. He had driven the Keyblader down to his knees when he felt something strike his back. He gritted his teeth and whipped around, slashing his sword, then quickly turning back to block an attack by the Keyblader he'd forced down.

A burst of fire was suddenly sent flying into one of the Keybladers. Gillick whipped around and saw Riun, Jish standing close to him. He gave the two a quick nod, then turned his focus back to the Keybladers.

Gillick slipped to the side as one rushed him, sticking out a leg to trip her, before slashing at her back with his sword. He heard the ring of metal against metal, and realized belatedly that she was wearing armor. He cursed under his breath. _At least that blow should send her off balance._ But he had no time to act on it; more Keybladers were already coming towards him.

He parried a few Keyblade strikes, but was unable to block a blast of darkness that seared his side. He grimaced and swung his sword in a powerful upward arc towards one of the Keyblader's heads. Though the helmet protected the man's head itself, it couldn't stop the force of the blow, which caused his head to whip to the side and break with a sickening crack. Gillick ducked low and dragged his sword down towards the legs of the Keybladers that surrounded him; though it didn't cut them, and didn't have the same power as his last blow, it was enough to knock them off their feet. He quickly jumped back to his and stabbed his sword down through the glass of one of their helmets, hearing the squelch as the person's head was impaled.

But while he was distracted with killing the Keyblader, he was struck from behind by a powerful Keyblade blow. He jerked his sword free, attempting to spin around in time to counter-attack, but wasn't fast enough, and was knocked off balance. His sword was wrenched from his grip at the sudden movement, and, as Keybladers bombarded him, he had no time to retrieve it. _Damn it! This is no good!_ He had to get back to his sword, but was unable to with all the Keybladers surrounding him. He resorted to trying to block blows with his arms and legs, trying to force his opponents back with his body, but quickly felt the sting of this method of fighting. He grimaced. _I need to get out of here. Find something, _anything _better to fight with._

By now, he'd been forced further into the throng. In the darkness and mob of bodies, he wasn't sure exactly where his weapon was. However, at the moment, he would be content with any weapon.

In his search, as he desperately tried to evade and ward off attacks, he saw the faint light of dawn begin to light up the battle field. _It was later than I thought, _he realized. _We'll all be tired, but at least we'll be able to see._ He wished now he'd been able to sleep more.

In the light of the rising sun, however, he saw something else: Mala, standing paralyzed in front of a Keyblader. His amber eyes widened. _That idiot!_ He rushed forward without thinking, ignoring the fighting that rage around him and the weapons and magic that brushed against him, stinging, as he hurtled towards the two. _She's too scared to move. Why the hell did she come out here? Why didn't she run away like she usually does?_

Gillick tackled the Keyblader to the ground, eliciting a cry of surprise from the man. He rolled back to his feet, looking up into Mala's surprised eyes from his position on the ground. "Go! Get out of here!"

She shook her head, blue eyes still wide. "I can't. What about…you and Riun?"

"You obviously aren't helping anyone if you _freeze in fear_," he hissed scathingly.

He felt something slash him from behind. He let out a cry, trying to whip around and face the Keyblader. "Gillick!" Mala cried in alarm. At the same moment, the twang of an arrow flying from a bow resounded through the air, and the Keyblader let out a cry of pain as the projectile found a weak spot in his armor and sank into his flesh.

Gillick looked back at Mala in surprise. She looked horrified, and he realized fear had governed her actions. _But…it was fear for _me… The thought made him pause.

He had no time to dwell on this, however, as the Keyblader sent a burst of darkness towards the thief. "Mala!" Gillick cried as she was sent flying backwards and sprawled across the ground.

Then he felt the Keyblader's weapon slice through his skin, and let out a cry of pain. "Now, it's time for you to die," the Keyblader commented.

Gillick looked towards the man with blazing amber eyes. He felt his heart pulse as he watched the Keyblader's weapon raise. He thought he could hear someone call his name, but the sound of his powerful heart beat nearly drowned it out.

_I can't die here._

The weapon came down.

_I won't!_

Gillick lunged upward, power suddenly streaking through him and forming in his hand. Then the sound of metal crashing against metal resounded around him, the light of the dawn glinting off the Keyblade he held in his hand.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter forty - two. Reviews would be great, please!<em>


	43. Shattered

_Here's chapter forty - three. Thank you Vixro, Destiny's Call, caitlinkeitorin, and explosivebagel for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Three: Shattered**

Mala stared in shock. _Gillick's…a Keyblader?_ Her mind tried to comprehend the impossible sight before her. _But…how? Why? He _hates _Keybladers!_

But she realized that little pieces of information, pieces she couldn't quite fit together, were now combining in a way that seemed to make more and more sense. His eyes, which were a color supposedly of someone touched by darkness; that Dark Army Keyblader, Xuren, calling him his 'old friend'; his battle with Trevor; how he knew so much about magic; why there were times when he inexplicably reminded her of a Keyblader.

_If he fought Trevor, he must be a Dark Army Keyblader._ But they were fighting the Dark Army now, and he was fighting _against _them. _And he's always said he hated Keybladers…or was that a lie?_ _And why hasn't he used his Keyblade before now?_ Her mind was just growing more and more confused.

Mala looked around her. Most of the people who'd noticed the event were shocked; only a couple of Keybladers seemed unsurprised, either amusement or anger glittering in their eyes. She turned her eyes to his Keyblade. It seemed to be formed of black, white, and gray thorny tendrils, an odd X - shaped gray blade attached at the end. The keychain was a dragon in flight.

She shook her head, closing her eyes tightly to try and stop the spinning. _I don't understand. I don't understand. What's going on?_

**The **Dark Keyblader's eyes gleamed with cold amusement. "So, you decided to summon your Keyblade, huh?" Gillick gritted his teeth and didn't respond. His mind seemed blank; he was only aware of the moment, here and now. The Keyblader smirked. "I thought you'd given up the Keyblade, armor - less. But I suppose it's not so easy to run from the past."

Gillick couldn't get himself to focus on the words; couldn't get his brain to function properly again. The only thing he could do was keep the Keyblader from bringing his weapon any closer to him.

The man's amusement faded, to be replaced with annoyance. "Well? Aren't you going to fight back? That _was _the whole point to summoning your Keyblade again, wasn't it?"

_Keyblade…Keyblade…_ Why was his head throbbing? What was it about that word that made his heart pulse?

The Keyblader's eyes started to blaze with fury. "Fine! If you're not going to fight, then _I will!_"

All of a sudden Gillick's head cleared, his mind functioning normally again. He jerked into action, whipping to the side as the Keyblader drew back and brought his weapon down towards him. Gillick spun around, using the force he gained from the spin to land a powerful hit to the Keyblader's armored side. The force was enough to knock the air out of him.

Years of training to master the Keyblade flooded back to him, and he lifted the weapon, pointing it towards the sky. "Thundaga!" he roared. Lightning flew down from the sky, striking all around him. The Keyblader who stood before him, along with several others, were struck directly by the blow of magic. The man screeched as the lightning pulsed through his armor, cracking it and the glass on his helmet.

Gillick took advantage of the situation. His weapon became coated in ice, protecting it from the sparks that still danced off the Keyblader's armor, and he lunged forward, stabbing his Keyblade into a crack that had formed just above the man's heart. The Keyblader gave a choking gasp as the frozen point pierced his skin and speared the beating life force that lie beneath. Gillick jerked the Keyblade out quickly, allowing the dark man to fall backwards, lifeless.

Once his opponent was down, Gillick had a few moments of respite. In those moments, the full gravity of what had happened hit him. He looked down at the weapon in his hands, amber eyes beginning to grow wide. The weapon had changed since he'd left the Armies, but…it was still _his._ His hands shook. _I summoned my Keyblade. _He couldn't seem to draw his eyes away from the weapon. _After all the years I spent trying to escape it, I called the cursed thing back! Why? WHY?_

Had it really only been because he needed a weapon? Because he wanted to save himself? _I should've just let myself die!_

He saw someone come charging at him out of the corner of his eye. He jerked his head upwards, whipping his Keyblade forward to take out his frustration on the unfortunate Keyblader. His blade burst into flames, and he struck mercilessly at her, not even giving her the chance to retaliate. She staggered backwards under the force of his blows. He didn't stop slashing at her, not even after he'd heard her neck snap and she'd fallen lifeless to the ground. He only stopped, panting, when blood pooled freely from cracks in the Keyblader's armor, and the metal that had once encased the mutilated body sagged with nothing to support it but broken bones and destroyed skin.

Gillick stood over her, eyes wide and glaring, his breath coming in ragged gasps and his Keyblade still poised to deliver a downward blow, one foot resting on top of the corpse. He was vaguely aware of people staring at him, fear pulsating from them and keeping them away.

An eerie calm suddenly swept over him, and his eyes narrowed, a glint appearing in them. His emotions ebbed until he felt numb; he allowed nothing, no thoughts, to enter his mind, instead focusing on the familiar, comforting dance of battle. He launched himself forward, spinning around and slashing his weapon across the first armored bodies he met. He blocked a few blows from one and kicked out at another, forcing them back. He forced his Keyblade up through a gap in one's armor, impaling her, and jerked it back out quickly to force away another Keyblader who was converging on him. He ducked beneath a blow, using his Keyblade to swipe his enemy's legs out from under him. He felt a presence behind him and jerked his weapon backwards, the hilt colliding with armor and causing the person to stumble backwards.

"Retreat! Dark Army, fall back!" Gillick's head jerked up at the cry. His mind cleared for a second time, and a thought crossed through it, _They underestimated the Silver Fang…but they won't next time._

Then he felt the wild turmoil of his emotions again, and quickly closed himself off. _Focus on something else…don't think about it… _The comforting numbness returned, and he watched with a dull gaze as the Dark Army Keybladers disappeared into Corridors of Darkness. Then he turned on his heel and stalked off down the battle field.

He heard gasps of shock as he passed the Silver Fang. "You're a Keyblader?" Riun breathed when he passed him. Gillick ignored him. "H-hey, where are you going?" the boy protested, running after him.

"To get my sword," Gillick replied, his tone flat.

Something about the way Gillick had spoken must've caused Riun to stop, staying away from the warrior as he searched the battle field. When he finally found his weapon, lying abandoned on the ground with the ruins in its surface seeming to glitter, Gillick finally dismissed his Keyblade. He picked up the sword, sheathed it, and stalked back to his tent. Once inside, he removed his sword and sheath, placing them in a far corner.

Then there was nothing to distract him from what he'd done; nothing to distract him from the emotions that had been raging through him since he had summoned his Keyblade for the first time in two years.

He couldn't make sense of them. Was he…angry? Sad? Hurt? He certainly wasn't _happy_; at least that was one thing he could rule out. He closed his eyes tightly, holding his head in his hands. _Damn it. Why'd I have to do it? _He knew _why, _he supposed, but that didn't make it any better.

He decided that, more than anything, he was angry at himself. _All that time, trying to bury my past, trying to get rid of the corruption of the Keyblade…it was all destroyed in a single moment._

He felt more than saw or heard someone outside his tent. "What?" he snapped without lifting his head.

"Silver wants to see you in her tent." The voice was unfamiliar, but it was taunt with suppressed emotion.

Gillick heaved a silent sigh. _Fine. Time to go through with the repercussions of what I've done._ He slowly got to his feet, trying to black out his mind like he had before and failing. _There's no battle to distract me now, _he thought grimly. His mouth pressed into a thin line, he pushed his way out of his tent and made his way through the destroyed Silver Fang camp.

Amazingly, Silver's tent was still standing. He pushed his way inside, surveying all who were there: Allia, who'd had no choice but to stay because of her injuries; Riun, who looked baffled; Mala, who's expression was unreadable; and Silver, whose face showed the signs of barely - controlled fury. "So," she growled, "you're a Keyblader."

Gillick thought he'd feel furious when she said those words; instead, he felt an icy sense of calm. "Used to be."

"Used to be?" Silver barked, standing up abruptly. "How do you explain the Dark Army Keybladers coming here? How do you explain summoning a Keyblade?"

Gillick's calm evaporated into anger. "How the hell should I know why the Dark Army came here?"

"You betrayed us!" Silver snapped. "You told the Dark Army about the X - blade, didn't you? That's why they came here."

"If I was working for them, why would I be fighting them?" Gillick snapped furiously, restraining himself from adding, _Idiot._

"He has a point," Allia commented dryly.

Gillick shook. "Why would I work for the people who screwed up my life?"

Silver's anger was marred by confusion and curiosity. "What?"

"Gillick…" He looked to where Mala stood, a cloud of confusion hovering over her. "What…happened? What's the truth?"

Gillick looked away. He couldn't escape the past any more. He'd made it for two years, but he'd slowed down, and it'd caught up to him. Now it was staring him in the face, ready to bring him down. "You want to know the truth? Fine." He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a few moments, then began his story.

He left no parts out; he told his listeners about how he'd first been apprenticed, how he'd first summoned the Keyblade, how Trevor had become a Keyblader. He told them about how he saw the corruption of the Light Army, his defection to the Dark Army, and his realization of the corruption there, as well. He told them about his battle with Trevor, becoming armor - less, and then being given his sword, from there leaving to travel the world, which he'd done for two years before returning home.

The four had listened in silence, which continued on for a few moments after he'd finished. As it stretched further, he looked around at each of them, gauging their expressions. Allia looked intrigued, but nothing more. Riun looked sad and a little nervous, seeming to draw in on himself. Silver still had a look of fury on her face, but it seemed to be strained, as if she were wondering if she should still feel that way. Mala looked sad, stunned, confused, and hurt all in one.

Finally Gillick couldn't take the silence. "Well?" he snapped. "Don't you have anything to say?"

"I suppose it explains some things," Allia commented, though she refused to say more.

"Maybe," Silver growled, her voice hard, "but it changes nothing. Once a Keyblader, always a Keyblader; if nothing else, this battle proved that."

Gillick seethed at the accusation, and opened his mouth to shout back a stinging retort when Mala cut him off. "Gillick." He turned to look at the thief, who slowly lifted her head to look at him. "Why did you lie to us?"

"Oh, you didn't catch that part?" Gillick asked scathingly; he was in no mood to attempt to be gentle. "I wanted to be rid of the Keyblade! I wanted nothing to do with it ever again."

"But you summoned it today," Silver growled. "That's the exact opposite of 'being rid of it', last I checked." _No shit, _Gillick commented silently, but clamped his mouth shut on the words. Silver's green gaze pierced into his amber eyes. "If you really wanted to be rid of the Keyblade, really didn't want to be a Keyblader anymore, you would've never summoned the weapon again."

"Do you think I had a choice?" he snapped, guilt and anger moving his tongue. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'd lost my sword."

"Lots of _normal _people lose their weapons," Silver hissed, her voice colder than ice. "They don't have weapons to summon to aid them; they run, they fight with their natural weapons, or they die. But you didn't do any of those, now did you?"

Gillick had no response to that. He could only wish that everything would go away, that he could go back in time and stop himself from summoning the weapon.

But he could never go back.

_Never go back…_ he echoed silently, thinking about what life had been like before the Keyblade. He hardly remembered it.

He was such a fool. How would he ever escape the curse of the weapon, when it had been a part of him for nearly all of his life?

"There is no excuse for what you've done, and none for what you are." Silver's voice jerked him out of his thoughts. "You are no longer a part of the Silver Fang. Get out, before I decide to have you killed instead."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter forty - three. Please review?<em>


	44. Aftermath

_Here's chapter forty - four. Thank you Dracula X and Vixro for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Four: Aftermath**

Gillick wasn't really surprised by the order, and wasn't sure how he felt about receiving it. A part of him was upset, considering the fact that this was probably the best chance at striking back at the Keybladers he'd ever get. However, another part of him was almost relieved; he wouldn't have to deal with others, or take orders from anyone. He was free to do what he wanted.

But a bitter taste was still in his mouth, and he knew why. _They know I'm a Keyblader._ Nothing could ever fix that.

He kept his face carefully blank, and told Silver stiffly, "Fine."

Silver gave him a guarded look from green eyes. "I'll give you some time to gather your things," she allotted grudgingly. "Go."

Gillick whipped around and stalked out of the tent and back to his own.

He pushed through the flap, feeling furious at himself all over again for summoning his Keyblade. He grabbed his sword, still in its sheath, and reattached it to his back. He picked up his munny pouch, then surveyed the tent. _Nothing else to take with me, _he thought, pressing his lips together in a thin line. He turned around to head out.

At that same moment, Mala pushed her way through the flap of his tent, surprising him. "What are you doing here?" he asked, even though he had a pretty good guess. _The Keyblade._

Mala didn't look at him. "W-what happened…I mean, with your Keyblade…"

Gillick snorted in exasperation. "Spit it out," he told her, his voice oddly quiet.

"I mean, just…" she rubbed her arm, not seeming to know what to say. She sighed, still looking down, and finally said, "Thank you for saving me."

Gillick was taken off guard. It was a few moments before he could respond with, "You're welcome." The two remained in silence for several moments before Gillick finally asked, "Is that all you came to say?"

"No!" She spit out the word so quickly that Gillick couldn't help raising an eyebrow. Her head was lifted now, her blue eyes flickering and her expression unreadable; he had no idea what she was feeling. She looked suddenly at a loss for words.

Gillick felt his irritation spilling over. "Well, if you have something to say, say it!" he barked.

Mala shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's just…I'm trying to take all of this in."

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed. "Well, then that makes two of us, doesn't it?" he commented dryly.

"You didn't just find out that someone who said that you could trust was lying to you about something huge," Mala muttered sullenly.

Anger flared inside him. "You just have everything you fought so hard to achieve slip through your fingers," he snapped.

She looked up at him abruptly. "And what exactly did you _achieve_?" she asked scathingly. "Solitude? Loneliness? Some sort of contorted pride?"

"A life without the Keyblade!" Gillick responded harshly.

Mala shook her head furiously. "Why are you so desperate to get away from the Keyblade?"

"Were you not _listening_? At all?"

Mala stared at him a few moments, before bursting into unexpected laughter. Gillick felt himself seething. "What?"

She stopped laughing, shaking her head. "You hypocrite."

"What?" Gillick growled.

"You call _me _a coward for running away," Mala commented, "but you've been running away your whole life."

"That's not true!" Gillick exclaimed, furious.

"Yes, it is!" Mala snapped. "You were scared of what being a Keyblader meant, so you ran away from it! Say what you want about me, but at least I have the courage to accept what I am!"

Gillick clenched his fists. "I'm not going to let some dumb sword decide my fate!" he snapped at her. "I choose what path I'll follow, not the Keyblade!"

Mala looked suddenly sad. "But you have let the Keyblade decide," she whispered. Then she whipped around and headed out of the tent.

**Mala **left Gillick's tent feeling flustered. She was angry at him for lying to her and Riun, and for what he said, but there was a reluctant part of her that also admired him. What she'd said was true; he _had _let the Keyblade dictate his life, allowing it to cause him pain and make him run away. But at the same time, he was still trying to be something different.

If nothing else, it gave her back something that she hadn't had since she'd watched Trevor kill the boy from the Dark Army: hope.

She looked to the sky, squinting into the sun. _Is it really possible, then, for me to be something more than a thief?_ She'd dreamed of it for so long, her head in the clouds as she hoped desperately for the days when she might be more than just that annoyance that stalked the back alleys. After the first incident with the Knight and all her experiences since, however, she'd felt as if that dream had been crushed, as well as her spirits. But now…Gillick had just returned a small spark of hope to her.

She glanced back towards the boy's tent, a frown creasing her features. _But I still don't know what to do._ Hope was great, but it didn't fix any of the confusion that was running rampant through her brain. She felt her heart sink as she remembered one particular thing. _The whole reason Riun and I came to the Silver Fang…is because at least this place had someone we knew. What are we going to do now?_

She hated to admit it, but she wasn't sure she wanted to see Gillick go. He got on her nerves sometimes, yes, and he'd lied to him, but…she knew him better than anyone here, except Riun. Her shoulders slumped. _And we can never fight with the Keybladers again._ The thought still left her feeling torn between what she'd learned, and what she'd seen. She felt as if she were about to be crushed all over again.

Mala heard the sound of someone pushing their way out of a tent, and a moment later Gillick brushed past her. Without thinking, she choked out, "Good luck."

She felt him stop, and in the few moments of silence she wondered where the words came from. Then Gillick said, "I don't need luck. I've done this before, remember?" Then he was gone.

Mala clenched her fists, still trying to manage her confused emotions. "But you don't have to…" she whispered. She stopped herself, knowing it would be no use, even if he were still there to hear.

**Riun **had slipped out of Silver's tent just after Mala, and was now hiding between the tents, hugging his knees and trying to not cry (he was failing). He didn't understand. Why did Gillick hate Keybladers if he was one? And why did he have to leave? And why had he lied?

He sniffled. _Gillick…I don't get it…_ He felt confused and alone at the moment. What was he going to do without Gillick? He had Mala, and he liked her, but he knew the older boy was the one who'd protect them both.

He lowered his head onto his knees. He'd been surprised that Gillick was a Keyblader, but he didn't understand how that was bad, so he didn't know why Gillick had had to lie to them. _But his past was so sad, _he reminded himself. _Maybe he didn't want to be sad anymore._ Riun had felt terrible for him after hearing his story; having to fight his brother, having his dreams shattered, having his armor taken from him. He guessed he knew why that would be painful to talk about.

But it didn't make it any easier to accept the lie. And now he was leaving.

Riun finally let his tears flow freely. _But I don't want him to go! He was why me and Mala came back!_

He knew he didn't need the older boy to be a hero anymore; there were people in the Silver Fang that could teach him. But he'd come to think of Gillick as an older brother…

He didn't know what to do, and even if he did, he couldn't have forced his body to move. So he remained in the same position, his legs pulled up close to him, and continued to cry.

"**You **know, I think you'll regret doing that."

Silver snorted at Allia's words. "Doing what? Sending him away?"

"What else would I be talking about here?"

Silver closed her green eyes, trying not to let her irritation show. "Why?"

Allia gave a slight laugh. "Well, he's not a half-bad fighter," she admitted, "and he could have a lot of intel on what the Keybladers are up to."

"Didn't you hear him?" Silver asked. "He hasn't been in the Armies for two years."

"Well, that's even less reason to send him away," Allia commented. "He obviously doesn't want anything to do with the Keyblade, and they probably hate him, since he was armor - less _twice._ Besides, he probably still knows a lot about the Keybladers that could be useful." Both woman were silent for a moment, before Allia ventured, "Unless you don't believe his story…?"

Silver snorted. "Why do you care? What's he to you?" she asked slowly.

"What, to me?" The assassin seemed amused by this. "No one, but a former target, but I guess I owe him for saving my life." She was silent for a little while longer before continuing. "Maybe I'm not understanding how him being a Keyblader at one point is so important."

"It's because the Silver Fang was formed specifically to _defeat _the Keybladers," Silver retorted, her voice cold. "I will not allow one of them into our ranks."

Allia laughed. "You stubborn fool!" she commented. "You won't let go of your hatred long enough to consider how valuable this guy would be to you, hm? Maybe you should become an assassin; you'll get out of that habit real fast."

"I have no interest in that," Silver informed her, feeling more anger pulse inside her. "And I've had enough of your talking."

As she pushed her way out of the tent, she heard Allia calling after her, "You can't say I didn't warn you!"

Silver strode through the camp, her green eyes narrowed in thought. She remembered her battle with Gillick, and his request afterward. _How dare he offer to join, being what he is? _she thought furiously. She couldn't believe she'd let him into her organization, even for a brief period. It was unthinkable. It was unforgivable. _How can a Keyblader truly fight for an organization who hates them? He was mocking me._ She tried to stem the flow of anger, and imagined she did relatively well as she felt all emotion slide from her face.

She found herself at the outskirts of the camp before she realized it. She heard footsteps behind her, and then a voice. "Well? What are you doing here?"

Silver felt a massive wave of indignant fury wash through her. _Keyblader._ The word burned like fire, but her voice was ice as she turned to face him. "Making sure you leave."

Gillick narrowed amber eyes at her; she could see the anger that burned in them. She knew he probably had some stinging remark he wanted to deliver; part of the arrogance of the Keyblade. But all he said was, "Don't worry; you won't have to see me ever again."

"Good," she growled, feeling a wicked thrill of satisfaction that the Keyblader would get what he deserved. He brushed past her, out of the camp, and she began to head back towards her tent. Neither bothered to look back at the other.

**The **cloaked man who'd given Gillick his sword sighed. Unable to view events via the sword, he'd been forced to watch events unfold from high up in a tree. He could not hear words from that height, but he still got the gist of what happened. He felt his heart go out to the young boy as he watched him stride out of the camp. "Who would've thought," he murmured, "that a simple action could cause so much trouble?"

He wondered if things would ever be set right; sometimes they were never resolved. But even if Gillick couldn't reconcile himself with those who felt betrayed, he knew that the boy would have to do one thing if he intended to keep from causing himself more misery. _He will have to accept the Keyblade._

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter forty - four. Reviews would be great, please?<em>


	45. Choices to Make

_I'm not going to be near a computer all day tomorrow, so chapter forty - five is up early. Thank you Dracula X and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Five: Choices to Make**

Trevor looked up to the half - moon hovering in the sky. He stifled a sigh at the sight. "It'll just keep getting darker," he murmured.

"It does that every month," another Light Army Keyblader commented dryly. "I don't see why you're making a big deal about it now."

Trevor blinked, surprised that his quiet comment had been overheard. He lowered his head to look at the Keyblader. "I'm just…making an observation," he informed him.

The Keyblader snorted, not looking convinced. Another spoke up hesitantly. "Um…general? You have been acting kind of…well, _off _lately."

Trevor's blue eyes narrowed. "Off? Really?"

"Yes," another Keyblader commented. "Ever since that incident with the girl at the town where the Knight attacked."

Trevor snorted. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"Right," remarked another, rolling her eyes.

Trevor felt a wave of indignation, and snapped, "There's nothing wrong, so back off!"

The other Keybladers gave him odd looks. His statement had clearly proven him wrong, but they knew better than to argue with him.

An inhuman cry suddenly rent the night, causing all to jump. "What was that?" one Keyblader exclaimed.

"Probably some animal," another commented.

"That's not the sound of any animal I've ever heard."

Trevor said nothing, keeping his eyes on the sky above. He saw a shadow flit quickly across the faint light of the moon. He frowned, nervousness setting in. _Was it just a bird, or…?_

An explosion suddenly sounded nearby, the force knocking all the Keybladers off their feet. There were several startled exclamations, but they were all drowned out by one overwhelming cry. Trevor swallowed hard, finally able to put a name to that sound. "Run."

"What?" one of the Keybladers asked him in shock.

He jumped to his feet. "It's the Knight! Run!"

A second explosion ensured that any Keyblader who was thinking about ignoring the order obeyed. They scampered to their feet, dashing madly to get away from the monster and its attacks. All Trevor could think of was that the monster had noticed their presence, and taken the opportunity to attack. _Why? What did we ever do to it? _he thought bitterly, though a small part of his mind informed him that he was being foolish.

The explosions continued behind them, though their creator didn't seem to be coming after them. The Keybladers, however, continued running until the scene and the Knight were far behind them.

For a few moments, Trevor and a couple of the other Keybladers huddled around in a small, confused group, panting. "What the hell?" one finally muttered. "Why'd it come after us?"

"I…don't really think it did," another replied. "At least…not intentionally."

"Just random violence," another muttered.

Trevor was looking off into the distance, in the direction of where the Knight had been. "Sir?"

"What?" he asked, looking back at who had spoken.

The Keyblader looked hesitant. "Shouldn't we go and find the others?"

Trevor steeled himself, ignoring the annoyance he felt that a lower ranked Keyblader was suggesting his course of action. "Yeah," he growled, and stalked off into the forest.

**Mala **stared up at the top of her tent. She could tell from the lightening color of the fabric that morning had arrived, and she suppressed a sigh. _Silver will want us up soon, _she thought forlornly.

Not that she'd gotten any sleep, anyways; the entire night, she'd been plagued by vague dreams and troubling thoughts.

She slowly closed her eyes. _What happens now?_ That had been the major thing that had kept her up. Did she stay in the Silver Fang, even though she wasn't sure she was completely against the Keybladers, or did she leave, and return to the unrewarding life she'd led for the past sixteen years?

"Mala?"

She sat up abruptly at the sound of the voice. "Riun?" she asked in surprise as the boy entered her tent.

He looked as if he'd been crying for a long time, though it seemed to have stopped. "Mala…I don't know what to do…" he whimpered.

Mala instantly felt a jolt of guilt. _I was worrying about myself, and I didn't even stop to think how it would effect Riun._ She knew the boy would take it a lot harder than she did.

But that didn't mean she had an answer for him. She looked away, unsure of what to say.

Riun seemed to pick up on this. "You don't know either, do you?"

"I-" she started to protest, then stopped. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no point to lying now. "No, Riun. I don't."

She didn't look at him as he left, though she knew he must've had a look of disappointment on his face.

It wasn't much later that she heard Silver shouting outside her tent. "Mala! Let's go!" Mala obeyed silently, slowly pushing her way out of the tent. She wasn't surprised that the Silver Fang leader hadn't stayed to make sure she'd followed orders; she seemed like a woman who expected compliance without question.

Mala looked nervously around the camp, wondering what to do. She frowned. _I haven't really been here when everything is normal, _she thought, chewing her lip. Still, there were those few days before the failed attempt at raiding the Dark Army stronghold…

Of course, she'd had Gillick to show her around then. She winced. _It just seems…so much emptier with him gone, _she thought gloomily. But she could still remember him showing her where to get breakfast, and she walked in the general direction of the Silver Fang who was serving it for the morning.

She ate alone, and in silence. No table here; the warriors simply sat down wherever they wanted. She looked for Riun, but couldn't find him in the crowd. Resigned, she let her gaze travel over the other members of the Silver Fang. Some looked normal, but others looked as if they were uncomfortable and nervous. _Probably from yesterday, _she thought, wincing. Even though most of them hadn't known Gillick very well, they would still feel uncomfortable knowing there had been a Keyblader in their midst.

"Well, what's the matter with you?"

Mala looked up in surprise at the voice. "Oh…hi, Allia," she said, looking away.

The assassin snorted. "What? You aren't concerned I'm going to kill you?"

Mala lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "Well…we saved you, right?"

Allia snorted. "You naïve little girl." But she did nothing but sit down beside her. Mala glanced across at her, feeling uncomfortable, and wondering why she was out with her wounds still unhealed. The assassin obviously guessed her train of thought. "I snuck out; I've been cooped up too long. I prefer to have my freedom."

"Oh," Mala muttered. "So…I guess that means…your leaving?"

Allia snorted. "Be good for you, wouldn't it? But no, I can't; at least, not yet. Not well enough. And, actually, I might stick around even after they heal." Mala looked at her in surprise, and she chuckled. "I think I like the idea of someone fighting the Keybladers. They've gotten a bit drunk on their power."

"They aren't bad!" Mala protested before she could stop herself. She immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, glancing around in case anyone had heard. To her relief, it appeared no one had.

Allia was giving her a sideways look. "Oh? So why are you here, then?"

Mala looked down, feeling almost mute. "Because…I didn't know where else to go," she finally managed to force out, though her voice was almost a whisper.

Allia returned her gaze forward. "I'd search for the answer, but I'm guessing it's not anywhere near here," she commented dryly. "And I'm fairly sure it has something to do with Gillick." Mala flinched, and the assassin grinned in response. "Interesting that, even though he was a Keyblader, I felt no excess of dark and light from him."

"What?" Mala asked in surprise.

Allia didn't answer her question; instead, her face turned suddenly harsh. "Stop moping around," she told her coldly. "Life's tough, so deal with it. Crying won't help you." She got up abruptly and walked away.

Mala looked after her, eyes wide with surprise. _Where did that come from? _she wondered. _She was so nice, and then she was so…not._ She shook her head. _But it doesn't help me; I still don't know what to do._

**Mala **spent the remainder of the day going through the motions under Silver's harsh ridicule, grappling with what she wanted to do in her mind.

She returned, still confused, to her tent at the end of the day, hardly believing she'd made it through. When she pushed her way through the entrance flap, however, she was startled to see someone already there waiting for her. "Riun? What are you doing here?"

The young boy looked up, his eyes unusually subdued. "I know what I'm going to do, Mala."

"You do?" Mala asked, surprised.

Riun nodded. "Yeah. I'm…going to stay here."

The thief couldn't help her exclamation of surprise. "What?"

Riun looked down, obviously suddenly uncertain about what he'd said. "W-well, I _can't _go after Gillick…not yet. But I really want to. So I'm going to stay here and train." He lifted his head, a smile suddenly on his lips. "Then when I get better, I can go and find him!"

Mala gave him a curious look. "But I thought you only followed Gillick to 'learn how to be a hero.'"

Riun nodded. "Well, yeah."

"If you go through all this training, though, you'll already _be _a hero…or at least have the ability to be one."

Riun looked puzzled for a moment, then shrugged it off. "Then Gillick and I will just be heroes together!" he proclaimed. He hurried out of the tent, a grin still on his face, and called back, "See you!"

Mala watched him go, eyes flickering. _Is it really that simple? _she wondered. Then she shook her head, denying the thought. _No…he probably spent a lot of time thinking about it. But…what does it mean _I _should do?_

She closed her eyes, remembering the reason she'd come to the Silver Fang in the first place; because, without the Keybladers to hold onto, the only other person she knew was Gillick. _But why come back at all? _she wondered. She trusted Gillick, even if she didn't always _like _him, but…after she lost faith in the Keybladers, why didn't she just leave?

_Because I want to be more than a thief._

The realization hit her like a hard punch to the stomach; it left her startled and breathless for a few moments, but she soon recovered. _I think I knew it all along, _she commented silently. _So…does that mean I stay here?_ But how could she do that, if she didn't believe in what she was fighting for?

Then she remembered what Gillick had revealed, and all he'd done for her in the past. He wasn't always the nicest person, but…there still seemed to be something about him that she could trust, despite the fact that he'd lied. _And even though he did…I don't think he deserves this, _she decided. Maybe he'd told lies before, but she believed him now, and knew that the Silver Fang's cause was what he wanted to fight for more than anything.

Mala lifted her head, determination suddenly flaring in her blue eyes. _I'll stay with the Silver Fang, _she decided. _And then, when I get stronger, I'll go with Riun to find Gillick…and then we'll bring him back to where he belongs._

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter forty - five. Please review?<em>


	46. Courage

_Here's chapter forty - six. Thank you caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Six: Courage**

Gillick walked silently through the night, his amber eyes narrowed. He snorted. _Well, at least I don't have to deal with _them _anymore, _he thought. _Riun…I'd be better off without that little brat. And Mala was such a freaking coward and crybaby. It's annoying. _He closed his eyes briefly. _It doesn't matter that I'm not a part of the Silver Fang, either; I can fight the Keybladers in my own way, _without _being a part of a group. I'm strong on my own._

He'd been going over various arguments to himself periodically after he'd left the Silver Fang camp. But he couldn't ignore the feeling in his heart; it was the same feeling he'd felt after being stripped of his armor. Both of those times, he hadn't been given a choice; at least when he'd defected from the Light Army, it had been his own decision.

"What are you? A wimp?" he growled to himself, eyes flicking open crossly. "You idiot. What's the point of whining about it? Grow up."

He'd been doing that a lot, too, since he'd left.

"You seem troubled, Gillick."

The black - haired boy jumped at the remark, whipping around and reaching up to grab the hilt of his sword, having it half - way out before he saw who had spoken. He snorted, re-sheathing his sword. "What the hell do you want?"

"Is that any way to greet the man who gave you your weapon?" the cloaked man asked, spreading his hands wide.

Gillick supposed he had a point, but was in too fowl a mood to care. "Just answer the question and leave me alone."

The man lowered his hands, his eyes growing sad. "You can't keep doing this, Gillick."

"Doing what?" he snapped, clenching his fists.

"Keep ignoring what you are." At Gillick's wide - eyed expression, the man added, "Yes, Gillick, I know very well what you are."

Gillick felt anger flare intensely inside his heart. "Haven't I had enough grief from that stupid weapon?" he barked. "Why would I want to have anything to do with it?"

"Gillick," the man said sternly.

"No. I don't want to hear anymore." Gillick turned around and stalked away.

The man was before him with a sword to his throat before he could blink. "You need to hear this Gillick, whether you like it or not."

Gillick lifted a foot and kicked him backwards. The man lowered his sword and stumbled a few steps without complaint. "If it's so important for me to use my Keyblade, old man, then why did you give me the sword?"

"My name is Senn," the man informed him, "and I gave you the sword because I thought you were worthy of its power."

"What _power_?" Gillick snapped, frustrated.

Senn continued on as if he'd never spoken. "The sword would allow me to watch you, and what went on around you."

"So you've been spying on me," the amber - eyed boy observed dryly.

"In a sense," Senn confirmed. Then he shook his head. "But you were never supposed to use the sword as your main weapon forever."

"I'll never use the Keyblade again!" Gillick snapped back at him. "Not ever! I won't be weak enough to; I won't _let myself _be weak enough to!"

Senn's eyes narrowed, and he tightened his grip on his sword. "Do you think this is courage? You damn fool."

The cloaked man suddenly lunged forward. Startled, Gillick just had time to whip his sword out of its sheath to block the blow. However, it quickly became apparent that Senn was much stronger than he was. "Don't forget, I was the original wielder of the weapon you now hold," Senn commented, obviously guessing his thoughts.

"Don't forget you're not the only one who's ever fought before," Gillick hissed through clenched teeth. Seeing that he'd never be able to overpower the man, he changed tactics, dropping instantly into a crouch. Senn, unbalanced, stumbled forward, only to trip over the body of the boy who was still under him. Gillick immediately spun around, still low to the ground, before jumping into the air to bring his sword down on Senn's vulnerable back.

But the man was quickly than he anticipated. He'd rolled over on his back and brought his sword up to counter Gillick's; the boy, still in the air, could do nothing to right himself, and crashed into the ground. Senn lunged forward, dragging his weapon through the soft earth to slice at Gillick. Gillick kicked out his legs, intending to trip the man, but his opponent was able to jump over his strike, dragging his sword up to deliver a powerful overhead blow. Gillick was able to roll to one side just in time to avoid being hit, scrambling to his feet and jerking his sword up in the same instant. The action was enough to parry one of his opponent's strikes. However, Senn continued with relentless attacks, pushing Gillick back with his greater strength, and eventually breaking through the boy's guard. He felt his skin pierced by his opponent's sword, shallow cuts for now, but he knew not for long. _I need a new tactic._

Gillick dropped and rolled to one side, quickly returning to his feet and running around Senn in a wide circle. Senn quickly whipped around, trying to keep up, but was unable to. Gillick smirked. _He may be stronger, but _I'm _faster._ It was something, at least.

He quickly lunged in, hoping to make a quick blow before getting out of range. However, he'd underestimated his opponent, and Senn was able to block his strike. Scowling, Gillick jumped backwards, continuing his run around to man to try it from another side. For a second time, his strike was blocked. He gritted his teeth in frustration. _Great. Even though I'm faster, he's still fast enough to block my blows at this distance._ He continued running around the man, amber eyes narrowed. _And if I get any closer, I'll be in range of his sword._

Senn obviously saw his dilemma. "Are you ready to give up and talk yet?" he asked him.

"Did you forget? You're the one who attacked me!" Gillick snapped. He took the opportunity to lunge forward, sword drawn back.

Senn lifted his blade to block, but Gillick let his weapon slide along the side of his opponent's, hoping to follow it back to his opponent's hand. He'd almost succeeded, but Senn moved to the side at the last second, sparing himself any injury. "Very good," the man conceded, "but you'll have to do better than that to defeat me."

Gillick's eyes narrowed. _Trust me; I will._ He gripped the hilt of his weapon with both of his hands and stabbed forward. Senn batted the weapon away easily with his own, quickly dragging it back up to strike at Gillick's face. The boy pulled back quickly, but not quickly enough to avoid being nicked on the cheek. Gillick made another dash forward, anticipating his opponent's attack. When Senn swung a counter blow, Gillick ducked beneath it, then dragged his blade upward beneath his opponent's guard. _Now I have you!_

But Senn released his blade and fell backwards, avoiding the blow completely. Gillick's eyes widened in shock, before he felt his opponent's foot kick him in the stomach and drive all the air out of him. Before he'd had time to recover, Senn had retrieved his blade and had slashed him across the side of his arm. Gillick couldn't stop the cry of pain and alarm that escaped from his lips as blood flew from the wound. He skittered backwards, keeping low and watching his opponent warily. He felt a sinking feeling inside his heart. _What if he's too strong? What if…I can't beat him?_

Senn looked at him carefully. "What are you feeling now, Gillick? Are you afraid?"

"No!" Gillick snapped; the last thing he'd admit to was being a coward. He lunged forward to prove it, swinging his sword in a high, wide arc.

Senn ducked below it easily. "You fool." He whipped his sword out, and Gillick hurriedly spun his around to block the strike. Senn continued forward with another. "When you stand shaking before an enemy but refuse to back down, _that _is courage." He struck his weapon off Gillick's again. "When you feel as if all hope is lost but keep pressing forward, _that _is courage." His sword clanged off his opponent's for a third time. "When you're terrified beyond all belief but choose to continue fighting, _that _is courage." He hit with a fourth, finally breaking through Gillick's guard. "Someone who does not know fear cannot know courage!" He slashed his sword down, creating a long but shallow gash across Gillick's chest. "You are more a coward than anyone for not admitting that you are afraid."

Gillick glared up at him, kneeling on the ground with blood dripping from his wound. He reached up his free hand, trying to staunch the flow of blood. _It's shallow; I can handle it._ An idea for how he could get an opening came into his mind, and he said, "Why are you so bent on courage?"

Senn looked down at him with narrowed eyes. "Because-"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence; Gillick had lunged upward, intending to slash through his opponent. The man, caught off guard, wasn't quick enough to dodge the attack completely, and instead brought his arm low to help block the attack. Gillick's blade cut deep into the flesh of the man's arm and shallowly through part of his side. The black haired boy skidded to a halt behind Senn, remaining low for a few seconds and feeling a flash of triumph. _I hit his sword arm; things should go much smoother now._

Then he heard Senn's voice behind him. "So you took advantage of my distraction. Clever." Gillick turned around, intending to press his advantage, only to stare, wide eyed, as Senn put his left hand over his right arm and announced, "Curaga."

"No!" Gillick cried in alarm, quickly hurrying forward to try and stop him. However, the spell had finished before he got there, and Senn was just able to lift his sword in time to block his opponent's blow.

Senn narrowed his eyes. "Don't believe it will be easy to defeat me, young one."

Gillick gritted his teeth and didn't respond.

The two jumped apart, eyeing each other warily. Then Gillick moved, dragging the tip of his blade through the ground. As Senn moved out of the way of the blow he believed to be coming, Gillick flicked his weapon up, sending a spray of grit into the man's eyes. Senn shook his head, rubbing at his eyes to clear them. Gillick took the advantage to lunge forward, his blade singing through the air. Senn moved, attempting to get away from the quick blow, but was unable to completely avoid it; his opponent's sword drew a red line across his left shoulder.

Senn rolled away, coming into a low crouch. "Very clever," he commented. "But do you have what it takes to defeat me?"

"Yes," Gillick responded, panting. But, inwardly, he was not as confident as he sounded; he could feel the wounds he'd already received aching, the one on his chest still dripping. _But I could be much worse, _he thought grimly. He lunged forward, intending to land another blow.

But Senn heard his approach, and swung his sword out in a large arc just in front of him. Gillick was caught with the blow, blood flying as the man's weapon dragged through skin and fabric. "You don't need to see to fight," Senn commented as Gillick fell to the ground, "though it does make the process easier."

Gillick was shaking. The blood from his new wound flowed out freely with his old, and his vision began to flicker. _Damn it, _he thought, realizing that he was losing a substantial amount of blood. _I have to stop the bleeding, or I'm out._ He shakily lifted himself onto his knees, pressing his left hand against the wound in his side.

When Senn spoke again, it was as if his voice came from a distance. "I see no reason to continue this fight; you're beaten. You may manage to find the strength to rise, but you'll be hard pressed to defeat me before you pass out from loss of blood." He paused, and then called out, "Curaga!"

A green light shrouded Gillick, and he felt the pain of his wounds fade as they knitted themselves back together, though he still felt a bit dizzy from blood loss. Gillick looked up at the man, questions unasked glittering in his amber eyes.

Senn was slowly blinking his own eyes open, still having to squint because of the grit that remained in them. "When you're ready to listen, come and find me. The sword will show you the way."

"The sword…?" But Gillick didn't get an explanation; Senn was already walking away.

**Senn **sheathed his sword and hid it beneath his cloak, his heart heavy as he continued to try and rub the grit from his eyes. _Perhaps I was being hypocritical, but you need to understand, Gillick, _he commented silently. _When it comes to battle, you are nearly fearless. But when it comes to the Keyblade…_ He shook his head. _You are afraid of becoming corrupted, like many other Keybladers you've seen are; you don't believe you're strong enough to overcome its power._

Senn paused, glancing back, his vision still blurry though he was more able to detect shape and color. _It's not what we are that decides our fate, but what we choose to do. You seem to fail to realize that._

He turned around, continuing forward. _You cannot escape the fact that you are a Keyblader…but being a Keyblader doesn't mean that you have to be corrupted. Gillick…it's time you Awakened._

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter forty - six. Reviews would be awesome, please!<em>


	47. Investigation

_This is chapter forty - seven. Thank you The Sacred Rigel, caitlinkeitorin, Dracula X, JapanRules555, explosivebagel, and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Seven: Investigation**

_Gillick frowned as he looked down at the quivering body. This was the man he was supposed to kill? He hardly seemed like a threat._

_The man was giving him a terrified look from frightened brown eyes. "Please…don't kill me…"_

_Gillick drew his sword. It didn't matter what he looked like; he'd been hired to kill him, after all. He brought down his sword without saying a word._

**Gillick's **amber eyes flicked open. He surveyed his position on the ground, briefly wondering why he was there for a few moments before he remembered his fight with Senn. He snorted. _Even though he healed my wounds, I was still worn out._ He slowly pushed himself up, gripping his sword and slipping it back into its sheath.

He felt troubled by what Senn had said. _Why was he so damn determined to give me a lecture about courage? _he wondered, eyes narrowed in frustration. _What was the point?_ He had enough courage, didn't he? And it was his choice if he wanted to use the Keyblade, not someone else's. He snorted, standing. _I don't know what he thinks he was talking about. And the sword's power? Right…_

He looked off into the forest around him, day light beginning to shine down around him. _No sense in staying here, _he thought, slowly stalking away.

"**All **right everyone, get up!"

Mala jerked awake at the sound of Silver bellowing a summons. _What's going on? _she wondered, grabbing her bow and arrows and nervously looking at the tent door. Then she relaxed, realizing that if there had been some sort of fight, she'd have heard it. Still, she felt cautious as she slipped out of her tent and into the main camp.

"Mala!" a voice called the minute she emerged.

"Riun!" she called in way of greeting as the boy dashed up to her. She bent down, asking, "Do you know why Silver's calling us?"

Riun shook his head. "Nope."

Her question was answered before long. "Listen up, warriors of the Silver Fang!" she called out across the assembled group. "The Dark Army found us, not so long ago, and a Keyblader infiltrated our ranks." Mala flinched at the mention of Gillick, and Riun looked sad. "Were it not for that second fact, I would have implement this far sooner. As it is, we can't stay here any longer. The Dark Army is likely to come back soon, this time with reinforcements. It's a miracle they haven't yet."

"So we're breaking camp?" one Silver Fang warrior called out boldly.

Silver fixed the man with an icy green gaze, making him shift uncomfortably. "Yes," she told him. "Now, everyone get to work! I want to be out of here before the sun is much higher in the sky!"

"Yes, ma'am!" a chorus of voices called. Then Mala and Riun were swept into the throng, dragged along to help 'break camp' so that the Silver Fang could be on the move again.

"**The **Dark Army's up to something," Trevor commented.

The Keyblader beside him glanced over. "Why do you say that?"

Trevor shrugged, blue eyes flickering. "I feel them moving about like ants, busy trying to do…whatever it is they're doing."

The Keyblader looked at him curiously. "You _feel _them?"

Trevor glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "Yes." His tone broached no argument, and the other Keyblader fell silent. Trevor's gaze shifted back forward. His mind felt like it was in a tornado, thoughts spinning around without stopping so he could make sense of them. Chewing his lip, he stood up abruptly and, ignoring his companion's questions of where he was going, stalked further into the forest.

His thought, inevitably, returned to the Dark Army. _Should we confront them? _he wondered. Then he shook his head. _No, Master Tollun didn't under that; we can't act without orders._ He frowned, his skin crawling. He could feel the sting of their darkness as they moved, burning him when they grew closer and easing off when they grew further. His eyes burned, and he rubbed them, wondering if he'd gotten something in them. In the midst of these feelings and his musings rose an inexplicable fear. _What's going on? _he wondered, his body trembling. _What's happening to me?_

He lifted his head as he felt darkness brush his skin, raising gooseflesh. He expected someone to be there, but saw nothing. He frowned. _What is…?_ Tracking the darkness by its feel, he slipped silently through the trees.

It didn't take him long to find its source. Two Keybladers, one waiting impatiently for the other to catch up. "Hurry!" the first hissed anxiously. "We need to get moving!"

"It's not like the information is going anywhere," the other grumbled.

"It might," growled the first, "and we can't risk losing the chance of obtaining the X-blade."

Trevor stiffened. He knew there was no way they could be talking about the typical Keyblades. Which meant… _How do they know about the X-blade? And what information are they trying to get about?_ He had a sinking feeling he knew.

Not trusting himself to move without alerting the attention of the two Dark Army Keybladers, he remained where he was until they'd left. When they had, he dashed away from his hiding place back to the camp. "General?" one of his Keybladers exclaimed in surprise at his abrupt appearance.

Trevor looked at him. "Send for Master Tollun," he said immediately. "There's something he needs to know."

"**You've **found what?" Tollun couldn't believe what he was hearing through the magical transmission.

The Keyblader who was using the magic, a masterful mage, reconfirmed the statement. "Trevor has overheard some Dark Army Keybladers talking about the X-blade, Master, and it appears they might know where to find the information of how to obtain it."

Tollun narrowed his silver eyes at the image, then nodded. "Very well. Tell Trevor to proceed how he wishes. I will be there shortly."

"Yes, sir!"

The image flickered out, and Tollun leaned back in his chair. He wondered if it was a smart move to allow the general to move on his own whims; after all, he didn't want to boy to grow to independent. Then he shook the though out of his head. _No…he'll always need someone to lean on. Besides, it's rare that I allow him to do as he chooses; I shouldn't have to worry about him growing too strong._

But it would take him a while to get there…unless, of course, he went across the planes of light. He frowned. _It's not the same as the Dark Army's Corridors of Darkness, _he thought, envying the darkness's easy, if dangerous, method of travel. All higher officials of the Dark Army, and a few of the lower, learned to use the Corridors, so they could travel anywhere instantly, but ran the risk of being swallowed by darkness in the process; it was why gold was a prominent eye color in the Dark Army, and why Viril's eyes had been stained blood red.

The Planes of Light, the light's counterpart for the Corridors of Darkness, were a bit different. Originally, they had probably been widely used, but this died out as using the transportation could often easily lead to insanity or death. The method involved using the magic of the Keyblade to transform each cell of the body into light energy, and shooting to wherever you wanted to go at high speed. It was the reason so few Light Army Keybladers made it to gray eyes, let alone silver.

But Tollun had made sure to master this forbidden technique, though he was loathe to use it. Still, now seemed like an appropriate time.

He stood, summoning his Keyblade and gripping it tightly in his hands. He lifted his Keyblade, intoning quietly, "Open: Planes of Light. Send me to the Prison of the Dark Army where my Keybladers are near."

The entire Keyblade lit up, the glow along the weapon expanding and sliding onto the Keyblade Master's body. When Tollun's entire body was covered, he turned into a flash of light, shooting out the window and across the terrain.

**Trevor **listened to the Keyblader as she related Tollun's orders with disbelief in his eyes. "He wants me…to do _what_?"

"Proceed as you see fit," the Keyblader repeated

Trevor swallowed hard, feeling flustered. _But Master Tollun, you're the one who gives the orders, not me. How am I supposed to do this?_

Then he forced himself to relax. _Master Tollun did give you orders, though. It's clear that he wants you to obtain the information in any way necessary._ He turned his blue gaze out to where he knew the Dark Army's stronghold rested. "Ok, then. We'll march on their fortress."

He saw his Keybladers start in surprise. He gave them a hard look from blue eyes. "What? Is there a problem?"

One shifted uncomfortably and, looking at his companions, ventured hesitantly, "Sir, there aren't enough of us to compete with a large group of Dark Army Keybladers; we were just a scout group. And you know the stories told of this particular fortress."

"I do," Trevor agreed, "but I believe it's best to draw their forces out, if they dare to confront us, and wait until Master Tollun arrives to give us further orders."

"But, sir-"

"No," Trevor said, cutting the man off quickly. "This is what we're going to do." There were no other protests, and Trevor called out, "Move out!"

"**Sir, **look down there."

The Keyblader in charge of manning the Dark Army prison looked down over the ramparts at his companion's words. He frowned at first, narrowing his eyes at the approach dots. "What is that, coming towards us?"

"Should I send out scouts to investigate?" the Keyblader suggested, a glint in her eyes.

The Keyblader hesitated a moment, then nodded, a small grin on his face. "Why not send out several, just in case it happens to be those people who tried to invade us earlier or the Light Army?"

The woman's face remained an emotionless blank. "Of course, sir." She was gone in a couple of heartbeats.

The Keyblader looked down, the corners of his lips twitching in their slight upward position. "So, who is so foolish as to challenge us?"

**Trevor **moved quickly across the field, his Keyblader racing out behind him. He couldn't help thinking of Gillick's attempted infiltration of one of the Light Army strongholds; the event seemed ages ago now. He shook his head. _No, this is different. We're distracting them while we wait for Master Tollun to come and lead us. Gillick's attack was just foolish._

But there was something inside the young general, screaming to get out of his heart and pushing him to move faster, to act more recklessly and take risks. What was this thing? It had been tearing at him ever since Mala had left.

He supposed it didn't matter now. All his eyes could see was the Dark Army fortress, and the figures that were quickly emerging from it and racing towards his group. He summoned his Keyblade, gripping it tight in both hands. Now was the moment to fight.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter forty - seven. Reviews would be great, please?<em>


	48. Gold and Silver

_Here's chapter forty - eight. Thank you caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Eight: Gold and Silver**

Trevor dragged his Keyblade up to meet that of the first Dark Army Keyblader who attacked him. The two blades clashed together in a flurry of sparks. The gray - and - white haired boy quickly ducked beneath his opponent's guard, slipping down close to the ground and whipping out a leg to knock his enemy's out from beneath him. He quickly spun back to his feet as his opponent tumbled to the ground, lifting his weapon above his head to bring it down on his opponent while he was defenseless. The other Keyblader quickly whipped his blade back up, blocking the strike. The Keyblader brought his legs up, kicking out with both feet. Trevor gasped as the air was driven out of him, the action giving his opponent time to recover and return to his feet.

Trevor grimaced as he felt pain lance across his upper arm. He whipped around, noticing that another Keyblader had arrived to join the fray. He pulled his Keyblade up, slashing at the second man, who blocked the strike easily with his weapon. Trevor cried out, "Aeroga!" The man's eyes widened as he was suddenly sent flying by the sudden vortex of wind. Trevor didn't hesitate to press his advantage, lunging forward and summoning flames around his sword. He swung a powerful blow at his opponent's chest, the armor denting beneath his fire - enhanced weapon. "This is the end, Dark Army scum," he promised. With those words, he switched his flaming blade for an icy one, and stabbed the tip of the frozen weapon down through the visor of the other's helmet. He jerked it back out quickly, blood spraying up from the wound.

The young general whipped heard something behind him, and whipped around quickly, weapon out. The Keyblader caught the attack, eyes wide. For a few moments, Trevor didn't understand why; then he realized he'd attacked his own warrior. "Sorry," he panted, backing off. The Keyblader nodded, eyes still wide, and slipped back into the fray, making sure to head away from him.

_What's gotten into me? _he wondered, his body sending itself back into battle of its own accord. "Thundaga!" he roared, jagged bolts of lightning flying down around him and piercing any he came too near. He whipped around in a circle, blade out and coated in fire, before lunging forward towards the first enemy he saw. He hit the stunned woman with a barrage of blows, grabbing the teeth of her Keyblade with his and jerking it from her grasp. Then he killed the woman in a similar fashion as he had his first victim.

A hiss of pain slipped out between his lips. His eyes…they _burned._ He rubbed at them with his free hand, wondering if he'd gotten grit in them, since he'd chosen not to don his armor. He was dismayed when nothing came away, though when he opened his eyes, his vision was perfectly clear.

He noticed another Keyblader dashing towards him and instantly slid into a block, Keyblade out and one leg splayed forward, the other bent as he braced himself against the blow. He tried to push away, but the awkward stance he held made it difficult, and the Keyblader, grinning, pressed his advantage. He applied pushed down against his opponent's Keyblade, the action sending Trevor off balance. The Dark Army quickly swung down towards the younger Keyblader, who hurriedly tried to push himself away. The action, however, was too slow to completely dodge the blow. He gritted his teeth as he felt the Keyblade slice through flesh and fabric on his left side, but quickly righted himself. He looked down at the sticky red liquid that was now flowing from his open wound. _Just a little blood. No problem. Just…hold out until Master Tollun gets here._

He was brought back into the fight as the enemy Keyblader sent a wave of darkness flying into him. He felt it pierce him and he let out a cry of pain. Silently berating himself for his lack of concentration, he lunged forward and slashed out his Keyblade. His weapon collided with his opponent's briefly, but he pulled back quickly, bringing his blade low and drawing it up under his opponent's guard. "Blizzaga!" he shouted, the tip of his Keyblade now pointed towards the other's unguarded chest. _Should've chosen to wear your armor, _he informed the Keyblader silently as his opponent was speared by the blast of ice.

But the fight wasn't over yet. Trevor took a deep breath, looking towards the fortress. He rubbed vainly at his still - burning eyes, then felt himself be drawn back into the fight.

**Gillick **walked aimlessly through the woods. His amber eyes were fixed firmly on the ground in front of him, and he was attempting to keep his mind carefully blank.

He wasn't succeeding.

A ringing buzzed in his ears, and he sighed in frustration. "And now I'm hearing things," he muttered. Then he stopped. The ringing, once he'd stopped to listen to it, sounded a lot like the sounds of battle. He swiveled his gaze around towards the direction it was coming from. _Who the hell's fighting? _he wondered. He guessed it was someone with the Dark Army, whether it be the Silver Fang or the Light Army. He snorted, turning away. _Doesn't involve me, _he thought as he began to head away.

But his heart felt heavy. He grimaced, clutching at it. _Knock it off, you worthless thing, _he growled to it, angry. It was heedless to his commands. His shoulders slumped. _Why should I feel guilty? _he thought in frustration. _They're the ones who kicked me out, and the Light Army isn't worth my time._ His heart, however, seemed to be adamant about making him feel as guilty as possible. Reluctantly, he turned back towards the battle. _Fine, I'll check it out. Happy?_ He shook his head. _Great. I'm talking to myself._

When Gillick reached the edge of the woods, he looked out at the expanse of open ground before the Dark Army's prison. Keybladers clashed against each other on it. He narrowed his eyes. _So it was pointless to come here. I knew it._ He was about to turn to leave again when he noticed a certain figure fighting amongst the Light Army Keybladers. His eyes widened. _Trevor!_ His younger brother was trying to ward off several Keybladers at once, but was being overwhelmed by their numbers, and kept rubbing at his eyes. Gillick reached up and grasped the hilt of his sword. _Damn it. Why'd you have to go an get yourself into trouble? _he thought in agitation.

He knew it was a terrible idea to go out there…but he didn't want to see his brother die. So he sprang out into the clearing, jerking his sword from its scabbard. "Trevor!" he called.

His brother turned to look at him, eyes growing wide. "Gil?" he asked, sounding like a little kid again. Gillick froze at the sight of his eyes. There was something…wrong with them, but he couldn't tell what; he wasn't close enough…

Then he felt something nick the skin on his upper right arm. He turned burning amber eyes to his attacker. "Really? Is that the best you can do?" he taunted. He lunged forward without giving his opponent the chance to react, slashing his sword down across his opponent's body and leaving a long, shallow, bloody gash. _So, then not all of these guys are the same as the ones who are normally here, _he thought with grim satisfaction. _That's good, because I don't have time to waste on this._

He whipped around, dashing back to help his brother. He jumped and kicked the first Keyblader he saw in the back, causing her to stumble forward. He pushed off her back while she was off guard, whipping his sword around to cut upon her unprotected neck. She fell without a sound as Trevor forced back his second opponent. "Aeroga!" Trevor called. Gillick dug the tip of his sword into the ground, preventing himself from being blown away by his brother's magic. The Keyblader, however, wasn't so lucky, and was sent flying backwards.

As soon as Trevor's magical attack faded away, Gillick jerked his sword from the ground and rushed towards his brother. "What are you doing here?" he hissed, his hand falling on his younger sibling's shoulder.

Trevor looked at him with surprised blue eyes, as if he'd forgotten that he was there. "I'm…here to fight for the Light Army."

"That doesn't explain much," Gillick growled, amber eyes narrowed.

"It explains enough," Trevor retorted. His blue eyes seemed to be flickering with light, making Gillick nervous. _What's going on? What's wrong with him?_ "I'm here to find out how to get the X - blade, so that we can stop the Dark Army once and for all."

Gillick felt his blood run cold; he knew his brother wasn't talking about the typical Keyblades. "How do you know about the X - blade?"

Trevor's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you? I read about it in an old book I found."

Feeling edgy and wondering why they hadn't been attacked by any more Keybladers yet, Gillick looked around. The battle seemed to be heading away from them, the warriors of both light and darkness pressing closer towards the fortress. He turned back to his brother, amber eyes serious. "Don't go looking for the X - blade; from what I've heard about it, it'll only cause trouble."

Trevor's eyes narrowed. "But it has the power to defeat the Dark Army once and for all!"

"And it's not worth the price you'd pay!" Gillick snapped back, though he supposed he didn't even know if there would be a 'price.' But what he did know was that if it really _was _a more powerful version of normal Keyblades, as Silver claimed, then no good could come of it.

Trevor narrowed his eyes at his brother. "And what do you care?" he asked, his voice icy. "You abandoned us, remember? Betrayed the Light Army and abandoned the Keyblade."

"That's in the past!" Gillick spat, angry at the direction this conversation was going. "That's not what we're talking about now!"

"But it doesn't matter, does it?" Trevor continued. "Because it's in the past, you have no reason to care anymore."

Gillick's grip on his sword tightened. "You idiot. Will you-"

"No!" Trevor interrupted. "I will do this, for the sake of the Light Army! Whatever it costs me!"

"And if I try to stop you?" Gillick asked slowly, not liking the idea of fighting his brother again. _But if it's to save him from himself…_

"Then I'll kill you," Trevor informed him simply. Then he lunged forward.

Gillick whipped his sword up, catching his brother's blade. "What the hell's gotten into you?" he snapped, amber eyes narrowed.

Trevor cocked his head. "I've been wondering that for a while, too. But you know what? I don't think anything's gotten into me. I've just realized where my loyalties lie."

As Gillick watched, he saw his brother's eyes change from blue to a startling, unearthly shade of silver. As Gillick's own amber ones widened, the runes along his sword began to glow. _What the hell? _he wondered, looking at them. He'd always figured the runes were just decoration, but Senn had said the sword had power. So…was it reacting to the change in his brother's eyes?

Then it felt as if Gillick's eyes were burning. He let out an involuntary cry, his voice echoing with his brother's as they both jumped backwards. Gillick found himself falling to one knee, jamming the tip of his sword into the ground and using it to prop himself up. He rubbed at his eyes. _What the hell? What the hell is going on?_ He cracked open the amber orbs to see his brother rubbing his eyes in a similar manner, and thought about the odd change in the boy's eyes.

Then he remembered what he'd been told during his time as a Keyblader; about how eye color could change depending on how far you were immersed in either light or darkness. Gillick's eyes had become amber when Viril had forcibly infused him with darkness. And Trevor's eyes seemed to just be turning silver… _Maybe that's why our eyes burned, _he thought grimly. _Light and darkness, forever enemies. Typical that my brother would be my opposite._

The burning in Gillick's eyes was fading, and apparently, Trevor's eyes were recovering now. Trevor lifted his head, looking down at Gillick. He narrowed his amber eyes. "Why are you looking down at me, like you're so high and mighty?" he hissed.

"Why?" Trevor repeated. He snorted, narrowing his silver eyes. "Maybe it's because the world doesn't need traitors like you."

Gillick gritted his teeth, his grip tightening so hard around the hilt of his sword that his knuckles turned white. "You attack your own brother," he hissed quietly, "and _I'm _the traitor?" _Do you even hear what you're saying, _he added silently, _or can light blind all your senses?_

For a moment, Trevor looked taken aback, even remorseful. Then she shook his head, closing his eyes as a sad smile flickered onto his face. "Well, I guess it can't be helped, can it? Why don't we finish the fight we started two years ago?" He lunged forward, Keyblade to his side.

"Idiot," Gillick growled. "That fight was finished then." And he was going to make sure history didn't repeat itself.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter forty - eight. Please review?<em>


	49. Past Master

_Here's chapter forty - nine. Thank you the traveler90, caitlinkeitorin, and explosivebagel for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Forty - Nine: Past Master**

When Tollun emerged from the Planes of Light, a shiver ran through his body. The effects of traveling via that method were not pleasant, but he arrived at his destination in a much quicker time than he normally would have.

He looked around at his surroundings. _I see…so I'm inside the fortress._ That made things convenient, but he could see no sign of his Keybladers. He frowned, walking over to a window nearby and peering out.

Across an expanse of open ground, he could see the dark shape of figures fighting. Though their features were indistinguishable, he knew it must be his Light Army Keybladers fighting those Dark Army bastards.

Tollun smiled at the sight. _This is perfect._ While his Keybladers kept the Dark Army occupied, their attention focused on the Keybladers down below, he could focus on the task of finding information on the X - blade from within. So what if a few of them died? After all, sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. Without another thought, the leader of the Light Army turned and stalked off down the hall.

**Gillick's** sword clashed against his brother's Keyblade, sending small sparks off into the darkness of the night. His amber eyes narrowed as he looked as Trevor's blazing silver. _Shit. What can I do to get him to stop fighting?_ Currently, the only thing he could think of was knocking him unconscious, and with so many Dark Army Keybladers around, he wasn't sure that was the best idea.

_But how the hell am I going to stop him? _For the moment, he had no answer.

Trevor spun in a low circle, his flaming blade creating a momentary ring of fire around him. Gillick quickly took a step backwards, placing his sword in front of him to take the brunt of the blow. His opponent spun back to his feet, lifting his Keyblade and slashing it down. Though the weapon itself missed Gillick completely, the line of light it fired did not. He let out a hiss of pain through clenched teeth as the light seared into his shoulder.

The runes on his sword pulsated briefly with light, as if responding to the attack. Gillick's eyes flicked down to the weapon. _No time to test theories now, _he thought; it wouldn't be good if he made a mistake in the battle field. Instead, he dropped to the ground beneath Trevor's swing, smirking at his brother's surprised look and remembering the battle he'd first used this technique in. _Was it really only a couple of days ago that I fought in there? _he wondered, though his eyes didn't dare flick to the imposing figure of the Dark Army prison. It seemed as if an eternity had passed.

As Gillick fell to the ground, he kicked out, hitting Trevor in the stomach and driving the air out of him. When the older boy landed, he swept the younger's legs out from under him, quickly rolling over himself to return to his feet. He hesitated before striking, however. _Shit. Why can't you just give up? _he wondered, watching Trevor as he struggled back to his feet.

Trevor seemed to take not of the fact that he'd stalled his blade. "Why didn't you attack?" the boy barked, looking surprised. Gillick didn't answer, his mind still swimming with ideas on how to stop his sibling. Trevor looked as if he'd suddenly grown conflicted, which his opponent deemed was a good thing. But the Keyblader quickly shook his head. "No, don't answer; I know why. The difference between us is that I have something to fight for; something bigger than family."

A light went off in Gillick's head. _Of course! What would be more devastating to him than to lose his armor?_ Gillick himself had been hurt, and he'd been disillusioned with the Armies for a long time before he'd become armor - less. "And what would you do if that thing was taken away?"

Trevor, who'd lifted his weapon to strike again, hesitated, silver eyes flickering. "What are you talking about?"

"What do you think will happen if Tollun finds out about your eyes?"

Trevor frowned. "My eyes? What are you talking about?"

"You're eyes are silver now," Gillick responded. "Didn't you wonder why they were burning before?" He silently hoped that he was right in assuming that the same thing that happened to him happened to his brother, too. Trevor's silver orbs widened in response, and he slowly lifted his free hand to touch the skin just below his eye, while he lowered his weapon. _Yes! Now to press the advantage… _"Didn't you notice that you shot light from your Keyblade? Amber eyes, and red after that, are the sign that someone has been touched by darkness; gray and silver eyes are the sign that someone's been touched by light. And you're eyes are silver, like Tollun's; meaning, you've just become a lot more powerful."

Trevor still looked surprised, but now there was suspicion flickering in his eyes. Gillick hoped he hadn't just screwed up his plan, but he had to keep pressing forward with it. "Why are you telling me all this?" Trevor questioned.

"Like I said before: what do you think Tollun will do when he finds out?"

Trevor went back to a state of shock. "Why would he do anything?" he spluttered.

Gillick knew his younger sibling would never believe the truth: that Tollun would resent Trevor and do everything he could to make his life a living hell. No, the boy looked up to the leader of the Light Army too much for that. So he'd just have to lie. "What if you're more powerful than him? He'd have to make you the leader of the Light Army in his place."

At these words, Trevor looked horrified, and Gillick wanted to let out a cry of triumph. _Trevor's only strong when he has someone to lean on._ He wasn't one of those people who wanted to lead, because, if he led, then there'd be no one left to tell him what to do. He'd be hopelessly lost, and all that former strength would disappear. This, he knew, would convince his brother to stop fighting, because he would be too afraid of what would happen if his continued, and he _did _prove to be more powerful than Tollun.

He didn't need to know how minuscule the addition of power with the change was; that in order to reach a higher level, he'd need to do extensive training in his element. Minor details could be left out.

But as he watched his brother struggling to go back to normal, his eyes flickering between blue and silver, a sudden chill ran down his spine. _What if he really is stronger than Tollun? _he asked himself quietly. He remembered how the runes on his sword had glowed, something they'd never done before, and a sickening thought entered his mind; a thought of something else with eerie eyes, something that possessed immense power. _What if…he's the Knight?_

Then he quickly brushed the thought away. _Idiot. He was there when you faced the Knight all those years ago, remember? He couldn't be the Knight._ But he couldn't help the flicker of doubt.

"The X - blade." Trevor's voice broke Gillick out of his musings. He looked at his brother, whose eyes had returned to their previous shade of blue. "I can still find out how to create it…then, maybe Master Tollun won't be mad at me!" Without warning, Trevor turned around and raced off towards the Dark Army fortress.

Frustration seethed inside Gillick. _Damn it._ His plan had just blown up in his face; instead of fighting, he was running headlong into the territory of the Light Army's greatest enemy. "Trevor!" he called, racing after him.

**Tollun **was looking through some documents when he heard something that sounded like footsteps approaching from below. Frowning, the silver eyed man peered out the nearby window. Down below, he saw two shapes racing into the Dark Army fortress relatively unopposed. The first looked like Trevor. The second…

Tollun's eyes widened, then he closed them and allowed himself a faint smirk. _Well, how interesting. The wayward student has returned._ He glanced around the room, his gaze resting on the limp form of a Dark Army Keyblader who was hidden in the corner. Yes, he had a sufficient amount of information; he may not know how to forge the X - blade yet, but he knew where he could find out. The Silver Fang.

But he didn't feel the need to leave yet. After all, while Gillick was here…why not stop and reminisce?

**Gillick **pounded through the relatively empty hallways, feeling the same sense of unease he had when he'd been here with Silver and Mala. He quickly pushed the thought aside. _That's past. I have to find Trevor._

His brother had managed to slip by the guards, who were unprepared for someone to come rushing through, but they were ready for Gillick, who came only moments later. While he'd been held up fighting, his brother had escaped further into the prison. Gillick flicked his sword, a few drops of blood flying from the tip. _Damn it! Where'd he go?_

"Hello, Gillick. Are you looking for someone?"

Gillick froze at the sound of the voice. He closed his amber eyes in frustration before turning around, reopening his eyes. "What do you want, Tollun?"

The man looked at him calmly. "I thought it was obvious, armor - less. I want to stop the Dark Army."

Gillick glared at him. "That's not what I meant, and you and I both know that's a lie."

Tollun shook his head, silver eyes glittering. "Yes, you've known since the day I recruited Trevor, haven't you? Or at least suspected it."

"You confirmed it by making Trevor your favorite," Gillick retorted.

"You sound a bit angry. Understandable, I suppose…but you were always too strong willed."

Gillick's anger was growing rapidly. "Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of. I don't have time for you."

"I'm curious, why did Trevor run in here so fast? What could you have done to upset him so badly?"

Gillick froze for a second time. "I did nothing!" he spat at the older man. "You did!"

"Oh, really?" Tollun asked. "I'm intrigued; what could I have possibly done?"

Gillick shook his head, furious. "What you did to me."

"Oh? You think so?" Tollun looked amused. "Don't worry, Gillick, your brother is much more compliant with you." The boy turned burning amber eyes to the man. "Of course, I know the boy could become powerful, and rebellious; he shares your blood, after all. And he might take away from me, considering he was made a general so young. But that's why I rarely send him out on public missions; he doesn't have the chance to grow popular. If he ever grows too powerful…well, he needs support. So all I have to do is reel him in."

Infuriated at the comment, Gillick lunged forward with a war cry, his sword clanging against Tollun's summoned Keyblade. "You bastard…why are you mocking me?"

"No particular reason," Tollun replied calmly, amusement glittering in his eyes. "I just wanted to see how you'd react to seeing you old master."

Gillick gritted his teeth, trying to force his mind to think rationally as he jumped back, dragging his blade with him. _Tollun may enjoy playing with people's minds, but when he has a goal, he doesn't just shrug it off. If what Trevor said is true, then why is he here, talking to me?_

Then the realization hit him, and he mentally kicked himself for his stupidity. _Because he already knows that the Silver Fang hold the secret to getting the X - blade._

He was jerked back to the present as Tollun lunged towards him. He whipped his blade up to parry the Keyblader, then ducked low and swept out a leg. Tollun easily jumped over it, pushing down with more force on Gillick's sword. The black - haired boy dropped completely and kicked up with both feet. Tollun, who was left falling with nothing to push against, had the breath knocked out of him as he was sent flying. Gillick smirked. _Well, I think I have a new favorite move._

He rolled back to his feet, lunging forward with his sword drawn back. He whipped his weapon up quickly, the silver blade a blur. Unfortunately, Tollun was quick enough to parry the blow, sidestepping in the same instant. He forced Gillick's weapon further away, then jerked his Keyblade back and slashed across the former Keyblader's left shoulder. Crimson blood sprayed from the wound, and the pain made Gillick's heart pulsate with increased anger. He quickly spun around against Tollun's blade, going into a powerful barrage of strikes. Tollun parried each, though apparently with increasing difficulty by the end of the combo. When the boy paused to catch his breath, the Keyblade Master stabbed his weapon forward. Gillick spun to the side, bringing his weapon up to knock his opponent's higher into the air. Then he continued the swing, aiming towards the man's exposed stomach.

"Master Tollun!" a voice cried in alarm from behind Gillick. Then he felt something hit his back, preventing him from completing the blow. Hissing through gritted teeth, Gillick looked back to see Trevor, standing, though shaking, with his Keyblade pointed towards his brother.

Tollun's amused voice came from behind him. "Well, it appears you're outnumbered now, Gillick." He cocked his head to the side. "And it sounds like we've finally been discovered." He nodded to Trevor. "I've found the information I need; let's go."

"Ok," Trevor agreed.

Gillick stood stunned for a few moments. When Tollun passed him, he hissed in an undertone. "Don't misunderstand me; I'm only sparing you because it would alienate Trevor if I didn't."

Fury once again rushed through Gillick. "You bastard!" he snarled, whipping around and lifting his sword. Tollun and Trevor, however, were already heading out of sight.

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><p><em>And that's the end of chapter forty - nine. Please review?<em>


	50. Searching

_Here's chapter fifty. Thank you Twilight's Shad0w, caitlinkeitorin, Eddie Camp, and explosivebagel for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty: Searching**

Gillick remained where he was for several moments, trying to grapple with his raging thoughts. He sheathed his sword, clenching his fists. _Damn it, Trevor. Why the hell can't you see he's just using you?_

Then he shook his head and whipped around, walking at first but slowly increasing his speed until he was running through the hallways of the Dark Army fortress. _Fine. If you want to be an idiot, go ahead. If you want to break family ties, I'll let you. I'm tired of trying to help someone who's not smart enough to let me._

He broke out of the fortress and continued running, his anger and regret pulsing through his limbs and hurrying him forward, on to the safety of the trees. He continued running for a ways after he entered before he finally slowed to a stop, breathing heavily. Then he closed his eyes, thinking about what had transpired. _If Tollun really knows about the X - blade, then the Silver Fang are in trouble. I might want to warn them._

Then he clenched his fists and shook the thought away. _Why the hell should I warn them? I owe them nothing. Let them die. I don't care._

Then he thought of Mala and Riun, and it was almost enough to change his mind. He forced the images of the two out of his head. _Why do I care about them? They were annoying tag-alongs, and nothing more._ He ignored how hollow the words sounded.

Gillick flicked his eyes back open as he began to head further out into the forest. He felt numb, as if he could no longer feel anything. _I'm through with bothering with others._ And image of Trevor flashed through his mind, silver - eyed and looking down at him. _Trevor, the next time we meet…maybe I won't go so easy on you._

"**Master **Tollun, why are we leaving now?" Trevor asked as he followed the Light Army leader.

Tollun glanced back towards him, silver eyes glittering. "Is there a reason we shouldn't?"

Trevor blinked at him in surprise. Hesitantly, he continued, "What about the X - blade?"

Tollun's eyes glittered with understanding, making the boy feel weak with relief. "I suppose you wouldn't know yet, would you? I already discovered where the information is hiding."

"You did?" Trevor exclaimed, surprised.

Tollun nodded. "Yes. It is with a group of anti - Keyblader warriors called 'the Silver Fang'."

"Anti - Keybladers…?" Trevor murmured, frowning. _That sounds like something Gillick would go along with…_

Tollun seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Surprising Gillick isn't affiliated with them, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

Neither made another comment about the fact, leaving Trevor to his thoughts as they strode purposefully down the hallway. Normally, he would've been moving at a faster speed, but if Tollun was walking slowly, then surely he should be going the same speed…? Besides, he had plenty to think about, and he wasn't anxious to be forced to push his thoughts aside at the moment.

What bothered him most was what Gillick said: that if Master Tollun found out about his eyes and newly awakened light powers, he'd betray him. _Master Tollun wouldn't do that. Master Tollun wouldn't do that._ He repeated the thought over and over again, a silent mantra raging through his mind. But after what Gillick had told him, he couldn't stop the doubt.

He hated himself for doubting. Hated himself so much it hurt.

He stopped abruptly, one hand clutching at his heart. _It's not true. It's not. I know it's not!_ Gillick's serious face appeared in his mind, and he tried to push it away. He knew, in his heart, that Gillick still only wanted to protect him, but…this time he was wrong. He had to be.

"Trevor?" The young general looked up at the sound of Master Tollun's voice. The light Keyblader was a few paces ahead, looking back at him quizzically. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes! Of course, Master Tollun!" Trevor replied, though he knew the response was too quickly.

The man narrowed his silver eyes at him. "Really?" came the skeptical response.

Trevor nodded earnestly, looking up at him with clear blue eyes and hoping he could see the sincerity in them. "Really, sir." Tollun didn't look as if he entirely believed him, but he let the matter drop. "Very well; shall we collect the others, then?"

Trevor nodded his assent, and the two continued off down the corridors and out of the stronghold.

**Mala **sighed, crossing her arms across her chest as she looked awkwardly around at the people who surrounded her. _What am I supposed to do now?_ She felt uncomfortable around so many other people, and felt useless in helping to set up camp. She chewed her lip, resisting the instincts screaming at her to run for cover.

She felt a tug on her shirt, and looked down to see Riun looking up at her with bright blue eyes. "Mala, we should help."

She managed a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You go ahead…I'll help in a minute."

Riun looked at her curiously, then shrugged. "Ok." He raced off into the forming Silver Fang encampment, nearly causing several people to trip in the process.

Mala laughed quietly at the sight, a sound that quickly turned into a sigh. _He fits in so much better than I do._ It was hard to erase a lifetime of living on the streets, never being able to come in contact with other human beings. _Or…whatever some of these guys are, _she added silently as she looked at a bipedal dog who was helping to put up a tent.

"A bit odd, isn't it?"

Mala jumped at the voice, turning her head to look at Allia. "Don't scare me!" she breathed, eyes wide.

Allia gave her a wry look. "It's not a difficult feat to accomplish," she commented dryly. "Besides, shouldn't a thief have keener hearing than that?" Mala frowned, but didn't respond verbally. Allia chuckled at her reaction. "Well, that offends you, does it?" The assassin shook her head.

The two stood in awkward silence for several moments, looking out across the forming camp. Finally, when it appeared Allia wasn't planning on leaving, Mala hesitantly asked, "What'd you mean by 'a bit odd'?"

Allia looked at her curiously. "You don't think it's odd, being here with so many other people? Funny, that's not what your look said."

"I didn't say I wasn't," Mala protested, looking away. "I just didn't know what you meant."

Allia snorted. "Sure. Whatever."

Silence descended again, and Mala began to fidget when the assassin still didn't leave. She was beginning to believe the woman was _trying _to make her feel awkward. "So…it's strange for you, too?"

"Well, I am an assassin. I typically don't associate with people unless they're offering a job or I'm trying to kill them."

"Oh. Right."

Silence fell again, and Mala again began to feel the awkwardness creeping up. "Do you know where Silver is?"

At this, Allia looked thoughtful. "Hmm…she was with me for a while, but I don't know where she went off to."

"Maybe I'll go find her, then," Mala offered, jumping at the chance to get away from the strange woman who stood beside her. She hurried away into the Silver Fang encampment, trying not to focus on the people swarming around her.

**Silver **found herself pacing agitatedly along a long stretch of a woodland border, her hands folded behind her back. Normally, she would be overseeing the preparations for setting up camp, but since this encampment was only temporary, she felt that gave her some leeway in surveying the setup. _I'll feel better when we're in a safer spot, further away from Keybladers, _she commented silently. _I always do._

It still irked her that her secret had been found out by the Dark Army. She clenched her fists, remembering who exactly had prompted her to reveal the information on the X - blade. _Gillick Nogard._ She shook her head furiously. _How could he have managed to trick me so easily?_

She was convinced that he'd known about the X - blade, and gotten her to spill her secrets on purpose. After all, he was a Keyblader; he'd always side with Keybladers over others. That was a fact. He may have _said _he hated Keybladers, and told them his past, but that didn't mean he'd been telling them the truth. He'd obviously become an adept liar, since he'd been able to hide the fact that he was a Keyblader for so long. Besides, he couldn't hate Keybladers; he was one.

…Unless, of course, he hated himself. That was a thought, however, that she refused to let gain purchase in her mind.

Silver stopped finally, closing her green eyes. _Well, perhaps mulling over it is worthless, hm?_ she thought. _If I'm really so worried…then I should get back to camp, where I'll be needed._ The decision made, she spun around on her heel and headed back the way she'd come.

**Allia **watched from the ground as the Silver Fang warriors finished setting up camp, looking proud of themselves. She snickered at them. _They take pride in such foolish things._ Her abilities as an assassin were something to be proud of; their abilities at setting up tents were not.

_Well, _she thought, leaning back and resting her hands on the ground, _do I want to stay, or do I want to leave?_ She wasn't entirely healed, true; she wasn't even close. But she was well enough to leave, if she really wanted to. The problem was, she didn't know if she wanted to.

She'd been over it time and time again in her mind: stay and become a member of the Silver Fang, or leave and return to her life as an assassin? She snorted. _Well, I doubt the Silver Fang would want me dead if I revealed my ability to sense different amounts of light and darkness; they'd probably love it._ She shook her head. _Well, I guess that's supposing I can really trust them, isn't it?_

The thought was tempting, though. She shook her head. _Well, I still have time. I don't have to decide just yet._

She couldn't ignore, though, what felt like a creeping sense of impending doom. She sighed. _God have mercy on our souls, _she prayed, _because I get the sinking feeling the end is coming._

**Xuren **arrived at the Dark Army prison when he heard what was happening. "The Light Army's attacking?" he questioned, just to make sure he'd heard right. His eyes glittered with a lust for blood, and a wide grin had stretched across his face.

"They were," a Dark Army Keyblader replied, "but they retreated."

Xuren's smile fell, his excitement replaced by fury. "They _what_?"

"They left," the Keyblader repeated; being of a similar mind set as the other man, he wasn't as afraid around him as most were.

"One must presume it is because they found the information they were looking for," another added. He gave Xuren a pointed look. "Information about the X - blade."

"Well, then we'd better let Master Viril know," Xuren said, the grin suddenly back.

The other Keybladers echoed the sentiment shone on his face in their own ways. "And what do you think his order will be?"

Xuren's eyes glittered with a manic light. "To find the Silver Fang," he purred, "and kill anyone who stands in our way."

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><p><em>And that'd be the end of chapter fifty. If you want to review, I'd appreciate it!<em>


	51. Moving On

_Here's chapter fifty - one. I'm updating early because I'm going on a band trip to Boston for the next four days, so I won't be able to update on my normal day. Thank you caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - One: Moving On**

Gillick rested his back against a tree, amber eyes glittering. A few feet away rested his sword, the weapon glittering in the moonlight. After the anger from the incident at the Dark Army fortress had faded, he'd remembered what had happened when he'd been battling Trevor, and what Senn had told him. _'The sword has power.'_ His eyes narrowed. "If what he said was true," he murmured aloud, "then it would explain why the runes glowed when I fought Trevor." His best guess as to why _that _had happened was it had responded to Trevor's awakening powers, though as to why it would respond to that, he wasn't sure.

He shook his head. "Well, even if it does have power, I don't have any idea what that power is." In fact, the only hint he'd ever been given that the sword even _had _power was when the runes suddenly started to glow. That didn't give him any hints as to what the weapon could actually do.

The fact that the weapon might have power, though, gave him hope that he hadn't felt in a long time. _It might be enough power to combat the Keyblade, _he thought. _Fight it and counter all its powers, not just the ones of the normal sword._ Then he reminded himself he'd sworn off fighting Keybladers. He brushed the thought away quickly. _Well, it might get Senn off my back about using the Keyblade._ Then again, Senn had known about the sword's abilities, and had still wanted him to accept the Keyblade. Gillick, however, knew that was something he could never do.

His amber eyes narrowed. _Well, it's not like I know how to use its 'powers'. And there's no clear proof that it really has them._ If it did, as Senn had said, then perhaps it was activated by extreme light, since it had responded to Trevor's eyes, and, he assumed, was the reason his own eyes had started burning.

He shook his head and re - sheathed his sword. _Well, I'll leave it for another time. If the power's there, I have plenty of time to figure out how to use it._

**A piercing **cry rent the night. High above in the darkened sky, a figure spread its large, broken wings, its shadow blocking out the moon. It folded its wings and dropped, the glowing patch on its left arm the only piece of it that was cloaked in darkness. It let out another piercing screech as it let a fireball loose onto the land below, the light from it illuminating the figure. The Knight.

Below, on the ground, a small group of travelers looked up in horror after the fireball had flown. The Knight swooped down towards them, snapping its wings open and flapping them powerfully, creating and Aeroga spell that whipped the travelers around, sending them flying in assorted directions. The Knight's armored feet landed on the ground with a clank, its wings sliding into its back and armor plates falling over the holes they'd emerged from. It launched itself at the first human it came into contact with, the sharp tips of its armored hands ripping into her skin. She screeched as blood flew from the jagged wounds, but the Knight cut off her cry abruptly by breaking her neck. A strangled sob came from somewhere nearby, but no form made a move to go nearer to the monster.

Lightning flew down all around it, charring the ground and the limp body of the dead woman. The Knight shot forward, ice flying out in front of it with seemingly no target, the element killing the grass that it rocketed across.

The Knight spun around, its hidden eyes lighting upon a fallen human. The boy looked at it in horror, trying to scramble backwards. The creature didn't let him, lunging forward to grab him. It caught his leg and dragged him backwards, ignoring his screams of terror. It jerked hard on his leg, causing the boy to flying up, then scorched him with a blast of fire. The boy tumbled back to the ground, gravely injured, but still alive.

The Knight immediately drew him back to his feet, pummeling his small body into a bloody pulp.

The monster whipped around, snarling as it released random bursts of magic. The remaining travelers attempted to scramble away in terror, but few managed to escape its senseless wrath.

Eventually it stopped, and stood still amidst the chaos, its armored chest heaving slightly. Then there was the sound of grating metal as the plates on its back slid up and the black wings emerged. Then the Knight shot into the air, leaving behind a scene of senseless destruction.

"**Alright,** everyone, get up! We're moving out!"

Mala blinked open blurry eyes at Silver's snapped commands. She pushed herself up, stifling a yawn. Then she shook herself awake, grabbing her sheath if arrows and her bow and slinging them across her back. She slipped out of the tent and frowned as she looked up at the fabric structure; she wasn't entirely sure how to take it down. Slowly, she reach towards one of the polls and pulled at it. The entire structure shifted with the action.

"Need some help?" a voice asked.

Mala whipped around, startled, as she saw one of the Silver Fang warriors giving her an odd look. She gave a nervous nod, and the man stepped forward, reach for the fabric and instructing her on how to detach the cloth from the poles before gathering the supports from the ground. Mala continued to nod silently, feeling awkward, until the man left.

She had to give them credit; the Silver Fang packed up quickly and quietly. Silver surveyed her warriors after they'd gathered everything together. "Everybody ready?" she called out.

"Yes, ma'am!" the Silver Fang chorused.

"Everything packed?" she added, looking towards the back.

The large group of people who'd been put in charge of carrying supplies gave her a thumbs up and called out, "Yes, ma'am!"

Silver nodded. "Then let's move out."

Riun slipped up beside Mala as the Silver Fang began to move. "Hey, Mala. Where do you think we're going?"

Mala shrugged, unsure herself. "Away from Keybladers, I guess." The thought sent a pang through her, but she tried to push it aside. _Keybladers aren't as good as they seem to be._ No matter how many times she reminded herself of that, she wasn't sure she'd ever be completely convinced of it.

"But why?" Riun asked. "Aren't we…supposed to be fighting Keybladers?" From his tone of voice, Mala could tell he didn't like it, either.

She sighed, shoulders slumping. "I guess it's because of-" she cut herself off, remembering in time that most of the Silver Fang didn't know about the X - blade. "…because of the attack," she finished lamely, unsure of what else to say.

Riun frowned at her, looking confused for a few moments, then seemed to realize why she'd chosen something else to say and responded, "Yeah. I guess." Mala nodded, and she, the boy, and the rest of the Silver Fang continued on in silence.

**It **was about midday when the Silver Fang came to an abrupt halt. Mala suppressed a sigh of relief. _A break. Finally._ They'd been walking nonstop for most of the day, and Silver had seemed almost incline to let them continue.

Silver's shocked exclamation from up ahead, however, dashed her hopes. "What the hell happened here?"

Several of the Silver Fang surged forward at their leader's surprised remark, and Mala, curious and nervous, followed their lead with Riun beside her. She gasped at what she saw, feeling suddenly sick. She felt Riun latch onto her shirt, shaking, and knew without looking that his eyes would be wide.

What they saw before them on the edge of the trees was a large swatch of destruction. Large parts if the ground appeared to be either charred, frozen, or ripped up, destroying the landscape. And then there were the bodies. Bloody corpses, mutilated into figures that seemed barely recognizable as human. She swallowed back bile, growing pale. She recognized carnage like this; she'd seen it before.

She hated every time she had to see it.

"Y-you want to know what happened?"

Dozens of eyes were now trained on a lone man who came slowly out of the woods, rubbing his hands together and eyes darting around nervously, as if he expected something to jump out at him at any moment. Silver stepped forward, eyeing him carefully. "Yes; I'd like an answer to…this." She gestured towards the destroyed area, looking as if she weren't sure what to make of it.

The man swallowed. "It was…a monster. It swooped down on black wings; we were totally unprepared. It just attacked. We don't know why. It didn't even seem to have a target." He was blubbering by the end, tears streaming down his face.

"Control yourself!" Silver barked. "What was this monster? Could you tell?"

The man shook his head, sobbing. "I don't know. I don't know."

"M-Mala, was it…?" Riun trailed up at her, looking up at her with eyes that brimmed with tears.

Mala nodded, shaking. "Y-yeah. It was."

Silver apparently heard their exchange. She looked back at them, a quizzical expression on her face. "Well? Do you two know what did this?" Mala swallowed hard and gave a jerky nod. "It was…the Knight."

There were a few murmured comments from behind her, but not as much of an uproar as she thought there'd be. Silver narrowed green eyes in thought. "The Knight…I think I've heard of it. An angel of death, who appears at night to destroy." Silver turned curious eyes to her. "But why are you telling me a legend?"

"Be-because the legend's real, ma'am," Mala replied haltingly. "I've seen it before; it's done stuff like this." She looked out to the open field, wondering why she chose to afterwards.

Silver, however, seemed to take her looking away as a sign that she was lying. "You don't really expect me to believe this story, do you?"

"I've seen it, too!" Riun spoke up from beside her.

Both Silver and Mala turned surprised eyes to him. Silver frowned, but apparently decided it wasn't worth arguing over. "Well, whether it's true or not," she commented, "we have to keep moving. Silver Fang! Quit dawdling an move out!"

The Silver Fang slugged forward, a morose mood settling over them. Trying not to look at the carnage, Mala silently wondered who - or what - the Knight really was. She glanced up towards Silver. _I know Gillick thought she was the Knight, _she thought, _but if she were, would she have acted like that. Or maybe it was just a trick. But she seemed so sincere…_ She sighed heavily. Things were so confusing.

_Maybe it's not even a person, _she decided silently. _It doesn't even show any signs of _being _human. Could it just be an animated suit of armor, then? Or some strange form of magic?_ She had to admit that it held a vague resemblance to a Keyblader's armor. Then she shook her head. _But what about the wings and eyes? That doesn't match any armor I know._

She gripped her head with one hand. She didn't know what to think anymore.

**When **the Silver Fang finally settled down, it was nightfall. "We'll have to stop here, for now," Silver grumbled. They'd stayed along the edge of the trees all day, and had moved into it to set up camp. Riun looked at the warriors moving around to set up camp, and slowly moved to go help them, feeling subdued. He still hadn't gotten over what he'd seen that afternoon.

Jish suddenly appeared beside him, making him jump. "Riun, we'll need to find a time to continue working on your magic," the cat man told him.

"While walking?" Riun asked, looking up at him. Much as he liked his odd new teacher, he'd rather stay close to Mala, who he knew better.

Jish shook his furry head. "Silver agreed to staying here for a few days while we scout the area. We'll have some free time to practice."

Riun nodded a quick affirmative. "Ok."

After the tents were set up, Silver's voice rang out across the Silver Fang. "Alright everyone, listen up!" The warriors grew quiet, milling around their leader with curious stares. "Now, I want you to push what you saw earlier today out of your mind; there is nothing you can do about it, and it had nothing to do with us." Everyone seemed to start talking at once after that statement, and Silver had to lift her voice to make herself heard again. "There is one more announcement I need to make!" The Silver Fang quieted again, and Silver continued, "Allia would like to officially become a member of the Silver Fang." There were a few murmurs as the assassin stepped forward, looking out over the crowd. "I have agreed to it, and she will start duties tomorrow. Dismissed."

The Silver Fang fanned out, but Riun kept his eyes locked on Allia. She may seem Ok now, but he would never get out of his head the day when she'd attacked them; the day he'd lit her on fire.

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><p><em>And that's the end of chapter fifty - one. Reviews would be great, please?<em>


	52. Warning

_Here's chapter fifty - two. Thank you caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Two: Warning**

Gillick wandered slowly along through the forest. For the first time since leaving the Silver Fang, he wondered what he'd do next. _The reason I came out here was to find Silver and collect the bounty on her head. Since I'm not part of her little group anymore, I suppose I could go back to that._ Truthfully, though, he had no desire to continue trying to hunt down Silver.

He exhaled heavily, looking up to the sky. _For two years, I've traveled the world. But what has it amounted to?_ "Is there even a reason for me to keep going?" he muttered aloud. He wondered if he'd still feel the same way if he hadn't briefly been a part of the Silver Fang, where it had felt as if he were doing something important; as if he had a _purpose_. Then he gritted his teeth and lowered his head. _Well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore, does it? _he reminded himself harshly.

To keep his mind off of other thoughts, he halted and withdrew his sword, deciding to see if he could figure out the weapon's supposed 'powers'. _I wonder…would it respond to magic?_ He discarded the thought soon after it occurred to him. If it reacted to magic, then it would have reacted to the other magic users he'd fought in the past. Besides, he wasn't willing to use magic, a trait associated with the Keyblade, just to test out his theory.

Gillick rubbed his eyes tiredly. _This is getting me nowhere, _he decided, impatient with trying to decipher the sword's power. He traced a finger along the runes, and only felt cool steel. He shook his head. _This is ridiculous. There's no power in this thing. The runes glowing was probably just my imagination._ He jabbed the weapon back into its sheath and continued off in the direction he'd been heading.

He froze suddenly as he saw the trees begin to thin out. An odd sense of foreboding crept through him as he stared between the trunks. For some reason, he felt as if he shouldn't go that way. Irritation immediately flashed through him. _What are you, a coward?_ he hissed to himself. Pushing away his misgivings, he stalked forward.

Then the trees ended, and he beheld a scene of carnage. He stiffened as he looked at the destroyed landscape, the broken bodies, and the living people who looked lost and heartbroken. Scanning the area, and image flashed through his mind: a stocky armored figure, striking out with magic and brute force at anything it could reach; the nightmare that he'd faced as a young Keyblader. The Knight.

He could see the monster swooping down and disorienting the travelers, then going for its first victim, its claws cutting into her fragile flesh. He could see it as clearly as if he'd lived it.

Gillick averted his amber gaze, narrowing his eyes. _It doesn't matter. This doesn't affect me._ He tried to ignore the part of him that disagreed; he didn't have time to deal with a mess cause by a monster he had little connection to. His legs, however, carried him away from the scene faster than he'd intended.

**Riun **looked up as Jish walked over to him. "Well," the cat man said, "are you ready to begin?"

The boy gave a quick nod. "Yeah."

"Good." Jish moved a few paces away, then quickly began pacing back and forth with his hands folded behind his back. "Now, we've established that you can already use the Fire spell with proficiency, and Fira has shown improvement. We shall keep up work on those. Now, however, we shall focus on other magical attacks."

Riun's eyes brightened. "New attacks?"

Jish paused in his pacing and nodded and affirmative. "Yes. As a mage, it would be better to be well versed in all elemental attacks…or at least the main stream ones."

Riun nodded vigorously in agreement. "Great! What do I do?"

"Well, for starters, we can warm up with a simple Fire spell."

Riun nodded, quickly drawing on his magical energies and, with a call of "Fire!" shot a small fireball from his hand.

"Excellent," Jish said as the boy turned to look at him for approval. Riun felt a flash of sadness when he remembered the Gillick had been the one who'd first taught him this. _I don't know why the Silver Fang were so mean to him, _he thought glumly.

"Are you even paying attention?"

Riun jumped as Jish snapped agitatedly at him. "Um, s-sorry," he stammered, looking down.

Jish sighed. "Well, to repeat myself, I said that you'll have to do something similar for all spells; that is, draw on the magic inside of you." Riun nodded, wide - eyed and trying not to lose his focus. "That magic, then, will be shaped by how much power you draw from, as you know with Fira, and by how you form the energy."

Riun frowned. "Form the energy?" Jish nodded. "It sounds complicated at first, but don't worry; once you master a magical command, it takes little effort on your part to use it." He cleared his throat. "Now, the spell I'm about to teach you is called 'Blizzard.' As it's name suggests, when used it will send out a small blast of ice."

"Cool!" Riun exclaimed, excited at the sound of it.

Jish grinned at his enthusiasm. "Well, then. When you formed your Fire spell, the energy felt hot, yes?"

Riun frowned, his mind winging back. "Yeah," he said after some thought.

Jish nodded. "For Blizzard, the energy you form will need to feel cold, not hot. Then, to release that energy, you will call out 'Blizzard'."

"Blizzard!" Riun commanded, dragging out some energy.

"Not yet!" Jish protested, but it was too late. Riun was shocked when, instead of a small burst of ice leaving his hands, a small explosion blew up in his face. He fell backwards, coughing. "That is why the energy needs to match the command; if not, it'll blow up in your face, as you just saw."

Riun rubbed his eyes, trying not to feel shaken by the explosion. "But how do I make it feel cold?"

"When you draw the energy out, you have to focus on 'cold'. With practice, it'll be as easy as breathing."

**Gillick **lifted his head in surprise as he heard something explode up ahead. He frowned. _I don't know what's going on, _he thought, _but whatever it is, it has nothing to do with me._

He was starting to head forward, away from the explosion, when he heard a familiar voice. "Gillick?"

He stiffened at the sound of his name, then turned amber eyes to meet clear blue. "Mala," he greeted tersely, wondering exactly how he should feel. Should he be nervous, angry…or what was that other emotion? Happy? …No, that couldn't be right.

He saw surprise flickering in her eyes. "What are you doing here? Do you know what the Silver Fang will do if they catch you?"

Gillick snorted. "I didn't even know the Silver Fang were here," he countered. "I was just passing through."

"Oh," Mala responded sheepishly, looking down at her feet. "I thought…you might be following us."

"Why the hell would I do that?" Gillick queried, eyes narrowing.

"Well…you and the Silver Fang have a common mindset," she responded quietly. "You hate Keybladers…"

She trailed off, her eyes suddenly growing wide as she realized what she'd said. Gillick, however, had long since ceased to care. "Yeah. But that doesn't mean I'm going to go around after people who hate me."

"I…see your point, I guess," Mala admitted quietly. Looking at him, she said quickly, "Riun's training over there, if you wanted to see him."

"Where the explosion came from?" Gillick asked, suddenly worried. Then he checked himself. Why should he be worried? It wasn't his problem anymore.

Mala nodded. "He's trying to learn a new spell, but it's not going too well," she informed him.

"How do you know?" Gillick asked, looking at her curiously.

"I've been watching," she told him. "Come on, if you want to see." She headed off past him, and he silently debated about whether or not he should follow her. In the end, he decided to go for it, and remained a few paces behind her until they reached the border of a small clearing. They remained hidden in the shadows of the trees, near the trunks.

In the clearing, a cat man - Gillick remembered his name was Jish - stood over Riun. He was telling the dejected looking boy to try again. Riun rubbed his nose and nodded, standing up. It wasn't long before the spell exploded in his face again. "Doesn't look like he's doing to well," Gillick observed.

"But he's still trying," Mala said, her voice hard.

"I guess that's a good thing."

He knew the thief didn't know how to respond to that comment, and so she fell silent. The two watched the boy and his mentor in silence for a while, though the young student didn't seem to be making any progress. After a while, Mala spoke up again. "So what are you going to do now?"

Gillick thought of the Silver Fang, of his sword and its 'power', of the Light Army and his brother, and shrugged. "I don't know."

He could practically feel her discomfort. "I see."

"Why are you talking to me?" he asked, his voice growing hard. "I thought you were mad at me."

"Well…friends forgive each other, don't they?"

"We're not friends." He didn't need friends; he didn't want them. He'd be fine on his own.

Mala fell silent again, and as she did, he thought about what had happened at the Dark Army fortress. The Light Army knew about the X - blade now…but what of it? What should he care, if he was no longer a part of it? _I should just leave them to their fate; leave this place, and find somewhere else for a while. Somewhere away from Keybladers._

But it appeared his mouth and his mind had two different opinions. Before he realized it, he blurted out, "Keep an eye out for the Light Army, Mala. They have some knew knowledge that'll cause a lot of problems."

"What?" she asked, surprised.

Gillick wanted to hit himself. _You idiot! You said you were going to stay out of this, didn't you?_ Before he could get himself into any more trouble, he spun on his heel and headed away, further into the forest.

**Mala **watched Gillick go with shock radiating off her. _What was he trying to tell me about the Light Army?_ And why go about it in the way he did? Was he nervous about something?

The Light Army, of course, reminded her of Trevor. She frowned and, as she thought of the Keyblader, looked at his older brother's receding form. _They're so different in some ways, _she thought. _But in some, they're very alike._

She shook her head, confused at the direction of her thoughts. _What am I doing? I've got to figure out what Gillick meant!_ It would help if he hadn't been so cryptic. What new knowledge could…

She felt her blood run cold at the realization. There was only one thing that she could think of that he could mean: somehow, the Light Army had learned that Silver had information about the X - blade. Fear taking over her, she spun around and dashed madly back to the Silver Fang camp.

Several people looked at her in surprise as she flew past. She burst through the flaps of Silver's tent, gasping for air. The woman looked up from her musings, a frown on her face. "Mala? What are you-"

The thief didn't give her time to finish. "The Light Army knows about the X - blade!"

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter fifty - two. Reviews would be awesome, please?<em>


	53. Choosing to Fight

_Here's chapter fifty - three! Thank you Eddie Camp and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Three: Choosing to Fight**

Silver stood abruptly at Mala's exclamation. "What?"

"The Light Army knows about the X - blade," Mala repeated, breathless.

For a few brief moments, panic was alight in the woman's eyes. It was gone so quickly, however, that Mala wondered if she might have imagined it. "How do you know this? Where did you hear it from?"

"Gillick told me," she replied without thinking, and then immediately wished she hadn't.

Silver's eyes darkened instantly. "Gillick? Where did you see him?"

Mala drew back, wondering how she could cover up her mistake. "I just…ran into him in the woods."

"Oh, really?" Silver commented sarcastically. "And I suppose he just _happened _to tell you about the Light Army?" Mala remained silent, knowing that nothing she said would convince the Silver Fang leader. "So what really happened, Mala? Where did you see Gillick?"

She shifted her weight, looking away. "I _did _run into him in the woods," she began.

"And…?"

"And then I took him to watch Riun train-"

"What?" Silver yelped.

"-and then he told me that the Light Army knew information that could be dangerous," she finished, ignoring Silver's interruption.

"Information that could be dangerous," Silver repeated quietly. She snorted, closing her eyes. "How do you know the information is about the X - blade, hmm? How do you even know he was telling the truth?"

Mala frowned, thinking it over. Then, she replied honestly, "I trust him."

Silver's eyes snapped open again, their green depths blazing. "Why? He lied to you about being a Keyblader, so why wouldn't he lie to you about this?" Mala quailed under the Silver Fang leader's anger, but gathered her courage and continued, "I don't know why I trust him, I just do. Besides, why would he lie about something like that?"

"Because he's a Keyblader," Silver replied instantly. "Because he's angry at us, and would love to do anything he could to get back at us."

_You don't know that!_ But Mala found she no longer had to will to keep arguing with the woman before her. Bowing her head, she turned to walk out of the tent.

"Mala."

She looked up, hoping Silver was suddenly willing to listen to her. She was disappointed when the woman said, "Let me know if you see Gillick around here again; I'll get some warriors to send him on his way."

Swallowing her disappointment, Mala replied quietly, "Yes, ma'am."

**Gillick** trudged silently through the woods, though he didn't get very far from where he'd seen Riun practicing his magic and from where he'd talked to Mala. He was still thinking about what he'd said. Silently, he cursed himself. _Idiot. Didn't you want to avoid getting caught up in this shit again?_ Obviously, though, he couldn't change what had already been done.

He slowed to a stop and closed his eyes. _I don't have to get into this anymore, _he reminded himself. _One slip up isn't going to change that._

Or would it? After all, he'd just revealed important information about the Light Army to the Silver Fang. _So what? _he growled angrily at himself. _The Armies already hate me anyways. _

Gillick snorted, finding himself once again contemplating leaving to some part of the world where Keybladers didn't exist; it'd be nice to return to such a place, after having dealt with the annoyance of being in his home the previous few months. He exhaled slowly. _Maybe that's what I'll do, then._

He started forward again, hardly paying attention to where he was going. The town that suddenly appeared before him, however, caught him off guard. "What the hell?" he exclaimed aloud, jerking his head up and blinking amber eyes in surprise.

A person walking past afforded him a curious glance. "What's your issue?"

Gillick glared at him. "Nothing."

The person seemed put off by his tone, and hurried away. Gillick watched him go, then snorted and turned away. He was sick of people. "Where are you going mister?" a voice asked, and suddenly he felt someone tugging on the leg of his pants.

Looking down, he saw a little boy looking up at him with wide eyes. "Away," he responded, trying to tug himself free.

The boy clung tighter to his pants. "Why?"

"_Why _does it matter?" Gillick hissed, frustrated and tugging harder.

To his dismay, the boy wrapped his arms and legs tightly around Gillick's leg and seemed to refuse to budge. "Because I want to know."

One of Gillick's eyes twitched as he looked at the child. _Why do little kids always choose to follow _me_?_ The boy, because of his behavior, reminded him irresistibly of Riun. He pushed the thought aside, responding, "Tough luck."

He began to walk forward, and heard the kid say, "I'm not going to let go until you tell me."

"I can still walk with you on my leg," Gillick retorted. He went several paces and, when it appeared the kid really _did _intend to cling to his leg until he talked to him, stopped and asked, "Why the hell do you want to know?"

The kid's eyes widened. "You said a bad word."

"No shit, really?" came the reply, causing the boy's eyes to go wider than he'd thought possible. "Answer the question, or get off."

The kid remained on his leg, but answered, "Because you seem upset."

Gillick didn't know how to respond to that, so he instead replied, "You're still on my leg."

"But you said answer _or _get off."

Gillick's eye twitched again. _Smart ass._ "Just get off," he commanded, shaking his leg in the hope of dislodging him.

"No! Not until you answer!" the kid replied, clutching the older boy's leg even harder.

"This isn't funny, kid!"

"What's going on here?"

Gillick looked up, his leg still uplifted from his attempt to dislodge the child, to see a woman standing before him with her hands on her hips, another small boy hiding behind her legs. Immediately realizing how stupid he looked, he placed his leg firmly on the ground and asked, "This kid yours?"

"Yes," the woman responded, sounding angry, "and I'd appreciate you not treating him in such a way."

"Then tell him to get off my leg!" Gillick snapped, angry at her tone and his situation.

The second boy cowered behind the woman's legs, and her expression hardened. "I understand you being angry," she commented, "but you don't have to be mean about it."

"Just get him off," Gillick sighed, exasperated.

The woman continued to glare at him a few moments more before she turned her gaze to the boy, who flinched beneath her gaze. "And what exactly do you think you're doing, Jaden?"

The boy seemed to draw into himself, replying quietly, "He looked upset, so I wanted to know why."

His mother sighed, looking frustrated. "Well, no wonder he's upset; it's probably a personal matter."

Jaden looked away. "I just wanted to help," he muttered, though Gillick noticed he still hadn't freed his leg.

"I know," his mother responded, "but not everyone is willing to admit when they need help."

Gillick seethed at her words. "I don't _need _anything!" he spat.

The woman returned her attention to him, eyebrows raising. "Oh, really? Then why are you so defensive about it?"

Realizing he didn't have a good answer to that question, he responded with, "It's none of your business!"

"Did you have a fight with your girlfriend?" Jaden questioned.

"I don't have a girlfriend, and _why are you still on my leg_?"

He saw the woman move out of the corner of his eye, and whipped around, but wasn't quick enough to block to fist that hit his cheek and sent him sprawling backwards. He landed on the ground with a thud, the kid releasing his leg in the same instant. "What the hell?" he hissed, pushing himself up and rubbing his cheek.

The woman was glaring down at him. "Is there something wrong with you?" she asked scathingly. "Is that why you insist on being mean to a child?"

"Nothing's wrong with me," Gillick replied, the usual anger that would lace his response missing. He removed his hand from his cheek, adding, "It's the rest of the world that has the problem."

The woman made a disgusted noise. "'It's the rest of the world that has a problem'," she mimicked. "Do you realize how narcissistic that sounds?"

He was about to argue when he realized she was right. He curled his fingers into the grass beneath them, replying, "It doesn't help when no one stops to understand."

The woman looked surprised at his remark, and for a moment, he regretted saying anything. _What the hell is wrong with me today?_ He was brought out of his thoughts when the woman said slowly, "You're a warrior, aren't you? That's why you wear that sword on your back."

"Yeah," Gillick answered slowly, wondering where this was going.

"How is it that you know what to fight for?"

For a moment, Gillick was rendered speechless by her question. Finally, he managed to stutter out, "What?"

"Every warrior has something they fight for," the woman replied quietly. "That's why they pick up a weapon. So how do you know what to fight for?"

Gillick laughed humorlessly. "I don't anymore."

"Well, maybe that's why no one understands." When he gave her a quizzical look, she continued, "How can you expect other people to understand something about you that you don't even understand yourself?" His eyes widened at her remark, and she turned away, gathering her two children close to her. "Just something to think about."

"I guess," Gillick conceded, standing.

"Oh, and about your eyes." Gillick looked at her curiously, said eyes glimmering curiously as she continued. "That isn't natural, is it?"

"…No."

"It reminds me of the eyes of some of the Keybladers I see, every now and again." She turned and gave him a pointed look. "You aren't…armor - less, are you?" Gillick didn't answer verbally, instead turning and walking away. That, however, was answer enough.

The sun began to set as he walked slowly onward, his mind grappling with the woman's words. _'How can you expect other people to understand something about you that you don't even understand yourself?'_ The words, at first, had shocked him; now they made him angry, but also made him stop and reflect. No matter how infuriating her words were, he recognized the ring of truth in them. _What am I trying to get them to understand?_ Gillick wondered, frowning. _What is it about _myself _that I don't understand?_

The first thought that popped into his head was of Senn's admonishments about not accepting that he was a Keyblader. He pushed it roughly aside. _No. I. Will. Not. Use. The. Keyblade._

The second thought, however, brought him up short. It was an image of Mala and Riun. _What…? Why are they…?_ He thought about what he'd told Mala, and watching Riun practice magic, and felt his body tense as the startling realization started to creep over him. _No. This isn't good._ Did he actually…_care _for them? Was he an idiot? _You've seen what _caring _can do, _he reminded himself scathingly. _You remember what happened with Trevor, don't you?_ But the fact remained that he seemed to wish for the safety of those two, if no one else.

He snorted, looking to the darkening sky. _I don't really give a shit about the Silver Fang, _he decided firmly, _but I let myself get too close to those two. I don't think…I could just let them die now._

And then a second realization hit him, producing a grim smile. "I'm a fool," he commented aloud. "I'm already too far into this…to back out now."

For two years, he'd been running away from the Armies, complaining about the horrors of what the Keyblade could do.

Now he realized that he was already too involved in this to escape, and if he really wanted anyone to understand his point of view…he'd have to be willing to fight for it.

* * *

><p><em>That's the end of chapter fifty - three. Gillick is just <em>so wonderful _with kids, isn't he? Reviews are always welcome!_


	54. The Plan

_Here's chapter fifty - four. Thank you Draconet, explosivebagel, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Four: The Plan**

"Master Viril, I have urgent news."

The leader of the Dark Army lifted his head at the voice. "What is it?" he questioned, an eyebrow raising involuntarily behind his long bangs.

"The Light Army have attacked the prison in the eastern area, sir," the Keyblader responded.

Viril jerked upwards immediately. "Why? Do you know?"

"We've heard they were searching for information on the X - blade, sir."

"You said they 'were' searching," Viril said slowly. "They aren't anymore?"

The Keyblader shook his head slowly. "They left, sir."

Viril's bangs parted slightly, revealing the eerie, angry color of his red eyes. "Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?"

The Keyblader quailed at his leader's anger, but responded, "T-there wasn't time, sir."

Viril walked down towards the Keyblader, who looked at his leader with eyes wide with fear. The dark man lifted his subordinate by the collar of his shirt. "Next time, make sure you inform me before everything's over. Do you understand?"

The man nodded, eyes wide, and swallowed as best he could. "Y-yes, sir," came the hoarse reply.

"Good." Viril threw him across the room, and the man went skidding across the floor, rubbing his throat and gasping for air when he came to a stop. "Now go."

After he'd watched the Keyblader scurry out of the room, Viril slowly lowered his head, lost in thought. _Tollun…you may try to beat us all you like. However, your light blinds you to the truth._ His red eyes began to glow, creating an eerie light in the room. _You will not beat us._

**Gillick **walked towards the Silver Fang's encampment with brisk strides. He'd spent the previous night thinking, unable to convince himself to fall asleep, and had ended up heading back towards the Silver Fang before the sun was up that morning.

During the course of the night, a plan had been taking shape in his mind. To fulfill the course of this plan, though, he had to make sure he reached Mala and talked to her…without getting caught by the Silver Fang.

He slowed down, treading more carefully when he thought he was getting close. He soon discovered he wasn't as close as he'd though he was, and was about to pick up speed again when he started to see tents through the trees. He continued to edge forward cautiously, listening carefully for the sounds of anyone who was up early or on patrol. His amber eyes darted about him as he practiced the unfamiliar art of caution. _I guess this is one of those things Mala's better at than me, _he thought, frustrated with the slow pace. He forced himself to keep going as he was until he was just outside the Silver Fang's camp in the deep shadows of a tree.

Gillick leaned against the tree, looking out through the Silver Fang camp. _Now…which tent is hers?_ He frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. _Shit…if I get the wrong tent, I'm screwed._ Resigning himself tiredly to a tedious search, he slipped quietly from tree to tree, glad that the Silver Fang had decided to camp in the middle of the forest rather than in a clearing. When he neared a tent, he'd tentatively edge around to the front and lift the corner of a flap to glance in. Every time he discovered the person wasn't the one he was looking for, he'd feel his frustration flare but, remembering what he'd promised himself, would do his best to quell it and move on to the next tent. _This is ridiculous. Where the hell is her tent?_

When he peered between the flaps of the next tent, he felt a stab of relief to see a familiar form sleeping inside. _Finally!_ He pushed his way inside and intended to head over and shake her awake.

He hadn't anticipated her being a light sleeper.

Mala jumped up, opening her mouth to let out a warning cry. Gillick hurried forward and slapped a hand over her mouth, stopping it before it escaped. "What the hell, Mala? Do you want to get me caught?"

Mala blinked her blue eyes in surprise. "Gillick?" she asked, the sound muffled by the boy's hand. Sensing that she wasn't going to try and screech an alarm now, he removed his hand, leaving her to ask, "What are you doing here? And…why are you in my tent?"

"Because I need to talk to you," Gillick responded.

Mala frowned at him, though curiosity flickered in her gaze. "What about?"

Gillick hesitated, wondering how the girl was going to react. Then he said in a rush, "I want to help the Silver Fang."

Mala blinked several times in surprise, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What?"

Gillick's eye twitched, but he repeated, "I said, I want to help the Silver Fang."

Mala shook her head, looking stunned. "Yeah, I heard that, but…why?"

Gillick hesitated for a second time. _Great…now I have to tell her…_ Looking away, he began awkwardly. "I kind of…realized…that I don't want you or Riun to die…or something like that."

Mala's surprise seemed to grow for a few moments. Then, a smile crossed her face, and she stifled a laugh. Gillick turned a glare on her. "What's so funny?"

Mala smiled at him, her eyes glittering but the danger from laughing subsided. "You're actually admitting…that you care about us?"

"That's not the point!" Gillick snapped, almost forgetting to keep his voice low. Pausing to collect himself, he continued, "Obviously, the Silver Fang aren't going to let me back in. At least not while Silver hates me, that is."

"Yeah," Mala agreed, looking suddenly subdued.

Gillick wondered why, but brushed it aside, deciding he didn't have time to worry about it. "I don't think I really want to join back up, anyways, after being kicked out. So if I'm going to help them out, I'll need your help."

Mala looked at him in surprise. "My help?"

Gillick nodded. "I'll need you to tell me information about what's going on inside the Silver Fang, and I'll relay information about what I know the Armies are up to."

Mala frowned, looking nervous. "But…what if your caught? And how will explain to Silver how I know about all this?" She looked away. "She's already got a lookout for you, since I told her about the Light Army."

"Wait…you told her I-" He cut himself off, shaking his head and quelling his anger. "Damn it; don't have time for that now." He looked at her seriously. "You're good at lying, right? Make something up."

"How do you know I'm good at lying?" Mala protested.

"You're a thief."

"And that explains every-"

"Just make something up!" Gillick hissed, cutting her off. Seeing light begin to pierce the fabric of the tent, he hurriedly stood, heading towards the entrance and calling over his shoulder, "I'll come around each morning."

"Wait! I haven't said yes yet."

Gillick stopped and turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "Well?"

Mala pretended to deliberate about it, making Gillick's eye begin to twitch in annoyance. Finally, she replied, "Sure. I'll do it."

"All that just to tell me 'yes' anyways?" he growled, glaring at her.

"I thought you were in a hurry," Mala responded, grinning.

Gillick shook his head and, muttering under his breath, left the tent and hurried away from the camp. As he did, a thought crossed his mind, and a small smirk crossed his face. _Same trusting Mala, _he thought. _Didn't even stop to think this _might _be a trap._ He'd have to talk with her about that later. Right now, though, he had a job to do.

**Mala **waited until she heard the camp begin to stir before slowly rising and leaving her tent. Upon seeing the Silver Fang camp stirring, she felt her nervous fear pulse back in full, almost overwhelming force. She closed her eyes briefly to steady herself. _How am I going to do this…?_

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. _Gillick asked you to do this…he needs you to do this. He admitted that he actually cares about you…you and Riun. So don't let him down._

She knew, though, that her task wouldn't be easy.

Sighing, she decided to go and find Riun. After all, the three of them seemed to be continuously entwined together; it seemed natural to include him in this.

She found the boy still sleeping soundly inside his tent. Entering, she shook him gently awake. "Riun. Wake up."

He blinked open sleepy blue eyes at her. "Mala?"

Mala nodded. "I have something to tell you, Riun."

Riun sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. "What is it, Mala?" Then his sleepy expression turned alarmed. "You're not leaving too, are you?"

Mala quickly shook her head. "No; I'm staying right here."

Riun sighed with relief. "That's good. It'd be lonely without you, too."

Mala smiled at his comment, but knew she hadn't come here to talk about her. "Gillick came and found me earlier."

Riun's eyes widened at the remark. "He did?"

Mala nodded. "He wants to help the Silver Fang, but is going to need help, since he can't get back in." _Or wants to be back in, _she reminded herself silently.

Riun's eyes lit up. "_Our _help?"

"Yes. He'll be here every morning, and we're going to tell him everything we know about what the Silver Fang's doing, while he tells us all he knows about what the Armies are doing."

Riun jumped up. "Great!" Then his excitement suddenly seemed to dampen. "But…we'll be fighting Keybladers…"

Mala felt a pang in her heart; she hated the fact as much as he did, but knew it couldn't be helped. "We're a part of the Silver Fang, Riun. We don't have a choice about it."

**Tollun **paced slowly through the corridors of one of the Light Army strongholds, hands folded behind his back. _I wonder where this 'Silver Fang' is hiding? _he thought. He frowned, closing his eyes. _It could be difficult to flush them out._

"Master Tollun!"

The Light Army leader stopped and looked behind him. "Yes?

The Keyblader skidded to a halt before him, panting. "We've received word about the Silver Fang."

His interest peaked, Tollun faced him fully and gave him his full attention. "Well? What did you find?"

"There was no sign of them in the area my group was searching in, sir."

Tollun's excitement faded into annoyance. "Is that all?" he asked, wondering why the man had bothered.

The Keyblader quickly shook his head. "We were able to find out about their leader."

"Really?" Tollun asked, surprised.

The Keyblader nodded, then handed his leader a paper. "Here. This is what she looks like."

Tollun took the paper, and blinked in surprise when he discovered it was a bounty poster. On it was the image of a woman with short ash blonde hair and piercing green eyes. Below the picture was a name; 'Silver.' "Well, well," Tollun muttered. He turned his silver eyes back to the Keyblader. "And you're sure that this is the leader of the Silver Fang?"

"Not completely, sir, but it would make sense."

Tollun's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't want assumptions; I want answers." He handed the paper back to him. "Go, and don't come back until you bring me proof!"

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter fifty - four. Please review?<em>


	55. Working Towards a Goal

_Here's chapter fifty - five. Thank you caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Five: Working Towards a Goal**

Gillick felt himself beginning to grow impatient. _Damn it…where are they?_ His amber eyes flitted across the area, but there was no sign of Riun or Mala anywhere.

Sighing, he leaned back against a tree, hidden carefully in its shadow. The three of them had been working on Gillick's new plan for a few days now, but so far, neither side had had much to report. Gillick closed his eyes and rubbed his temples in frustration. _This isn't going to work if we don't find out anything, _he thought, frustrated. Still, he supposed at least he had _something _to report this morning.

Which was why he was growing frustrated at his companions' lateness.

He heard rustling in the undergrowth and tensed, his hand shooting to the hilt of his sword as he warily scanned the undergrowth. He relaxed a moment later when he saw Mala and Riun hurrying towards him. "You're late," he commented, lowering his hand, "and not exactly stealthy."

"Sorry," Mala panted as she and Riun reached him, "but we had to sneak away."

Gillick cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Silver decided we'd head out again today."

Gillick couldn't say he was surprised, but the movement would make his job a little more difficult. "Then I'll make this quick: I've seen Light Army Keybladers around here. More than usual, anyways."

Riun's eyes grew wide. "Are they going to attack?"

"Not unless they find you," Gillick commented dryly.

Mala swallowed her alarm and nodded. "Ok, I'll tell Silver."

"You're coming with us, right, Gillick?" Riun asked, looking up at him with nervous blue eyes.

Gillick nodded his assent. "Obviously. I'm not going to be any help staying here."

Riun smiled, and Mala commented, "Make sure you stay out of sight."

"No shit," Gillick retorted, rolling his eyes.

Mala sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Just…be careful."

Gillick felt a flash of surprise at her concern, but pushed it away roughly. "Don't worry about me," he growled to her, amber eyes narrowed.

Mala looked at him for a few moments, then gave a hesitant nod and turned and headed back towards the Silver Fang's camp, Riun following close behind her. Gillick watched them go, then steeled himself for his own journey after them.

**Mala **couldn't help but feel a growing sense of alarm as the days passed. It seemed as if the Silver Fang were constantly on the move, and as if she, Riun, and Gillick were constantly getting closer to being discovered. So far, nothing had happened, though there had been a few close calls.

The two sides rarely had much to report to one another. Mala and Riun would inform Gillick of whatever Silver had planned, and Gillick would tell them whatever he knew about the Armies' activities. The Keybladers didn't seem to be getting closer, though, and the Silver Fang hadn't done much besides traveling…

"Mala!" Gillick hissed, jolting her out of her thoughts.

She jumped, startled. "Sorry! I didn't hear you coming."

Gillick rolled his eyes at her. "And you're a thief…"

"Former thief," Mala corrected.

Gillick snorted, but Riun jumped in before he could say anything. "The Silver Fang are going to stay in one spot for a while."

The former Keyblader suddenly looked alarmed. "Tell them to get moving. Now."

"Why?" Mala yelped, surprised.

"A group of Dark Army Keybladers are close to here; Xuren's leading them," he replied.

"You think they're after the X - blade?"

"It doesn't matter if they are or not," Gillick growled in response. "If Xuren's in charge, all hell will break lose."

Mala swallowed hard, and Riun looked at the older boy with wide eyes. "We'll tell Silver," the boy promised earnestly.

Gillick nodded an assent. "I'll head out, then."

Mala watched him go, her shoulders slumping. Then she straightened, turning to head back towards the Silver Fang. "Come on; I guess we'd better get back and figure out how to tell Silver what's going on."

Riun nodded eagerly. "Ok!"

**Gillick **sighed as he leaned back against the tree, looking up at the empty sky. _It's been two weeks now, _he thought, briefly closing his eyes, _and there still hasn't been much heard from either of the Armies. Are they confused? Or are they planning something?_

It annoyed him that he didn't know.

_Speaking of things I don't know…_ He grabbed his sword from beside him, he grabbed the hilt and jerked the weapon from its sheath. He frowned at it, still not understanding what this 'power' it had was. He touched the ruins, as he had so many times before.

This time he felt something, just beneath the surface. He jerked his hand back, startled. _What the hell? What was that?_ He tentatively touched the ruins again. Instantly he felt the faint thrum of something just beneath the surface.

Amber eyes narrowed in thought. _Is this the power, then?_ He stood, dragging his sword up and taking an experimental swing. He glared at the weapon when nothing happened. _Damn it. If it's there, then how the hell do I use it?_ Obviously, he got no response.

Gillick jammed the weapon back in its sheath out of frustration. _Why couldn't Senn have been less cryptic? _he wondered irritably. Still, he supposed that, at least now, he knew for sure it was there. He'd figure out how to access the sword's powers.

…Eventually.

**Xuren **couldn't stifle the frustration that boiled up inside him. "When are we going to find them?" he hissed impatiently.

The Dark Army Keybladers nearby exchanged nervous looks. Hesitatingly, one said, "We must be getting close by now."

A ball of darkness flew by, just missing the Keyblader's head by an inch. "But we _haven't found them yet,_" Xuren enunciated, amber eyes flickering wildly.

"S-sir, I'm sure we'll find them soon," another stuttered, clearly nervous about being shot at, as well.

To the other Dark Army Keybladers' relief, Xuren seemed to calm down. "Maybe you're right." A wicked smile suddenly stretched across his face. "Then I can finally rip them to shreds."

The Keybladers sent each other more nervous glances. However, their worries about their temporary leader were cut short when a wild, inhuman screech rent the night air. All heads whipped around to look for the source of the sound. Xuren recognized it; he'd heard it once before. He grinned wickedly, eyes growing wide with delight. _The Knight._

As if the thought had summoned it, the shadowed figure of the monster swept out of the night sky towards the field below, the only point of light the glowing blue on its left arm. It sent out a surge of lightning, the strike ripping through the air towards its intended targets. The Keybladers hurried out of the way, multiple burst of light signaling they'd donned their armor and summoned their Keyblades. Xuren mimicked the act; as eager as he was to get into this fight, he knew how dangerous the Knight could be, and decided he had no interest in dying that night.

The monster was already diving into the fray, it's clawed hands ringing the neck of one of the Keybladers until it cracked. It used the limp body as a weapon, swinging it at the other Keybladers, who were forced to ward it off. The Knight tossed the body aside, moving on towards the next Keyblader.

Xuren took the opportunity to strike. He lifted his Keyblade and shot a sphere of darkness towards the beast.

He felt a momentary thrill of shock when one dark wing swept out of the monster's back to block the blow. The wing whipped backwards as the Knight released an Aero spell. Behind his helmet, Xuren's grin had grown, and once the wind had subsided and the Knight's wing drawn back in beneath the armor on its back, he charged forward.

The Knight was busy tearing open another Keyblader's armor, dragging its clawed hands through the fragile flesh beneath, so Xuren believed it didn't know he was charging. The Knight, however, proved him wrong. It jabbed its hand fully into the body of its victim, whipping it around so that the body faced Xuren. "You think I have a problem cutting through that?" Xuren taunted, eyes flashing.

He skidded to an abrupt halt, however, when the Knight let out a blast of fire from the hand jammed into the Keyblader. Instinctively, Xuren lifted his hands to defend himself as fire, flesh, and armor exploded around him. The defensive gesture, however, was not enough, and it sent him flying backwards. He felt his armor grow burning hot from the fire, and let out an involuntary gasp of pain. It was like being cooked alive…

He hit the ground with a thud, the force of the impact driving all the air out of him. Slowly and with difficulty, he managed to dispel his armor, then fell back gasping with relief as the cold night air met him instead of the molten armor.

After a few moments, Xuren realized the Knight wasn't attacking him anymore, and pushed himself up to see the monster attacking other Keybladers who were coming at it. Though they were trying to overwhelm it with sheer numbers, their best efforts seemed to prove unsuccessful, as the monster didn't appear to have any wounds. Deciding he'd recovered enough, Xuren jumped back to his feet and returned to fight against the rampaging monster.

The Knight whipped around towards him at his approach, but Xuren didn't slow his momentum; instead, he continued to hurtle towards the creature, aiming for the one area of bare flesh he could see. As the dark Keyblader gripped his Keyblade with both hands, intending to impale the monster's arm, the Knight suddenly grasped him by the throat.

The Knight's eyes glowed behind its helmet, and Xuren felt an emotion he'd felt few times before: fear. He shuddered uncontrollably, unable to drag his eyes from that at the monster who held him, and as he felt the clawed hand tighten around his throat, saw spots flicker before his eyes and realized he was about to die.

Then the glow on the Knight's left arm lessened, and the grip around his neck loosened slightly. Those small actions were enough to obliterate Xuren's fear, and he jerked his Keyblade back up, a wild grin suddenly stretch wide across his face as he slashed his Keyblade down his captor's arm. The monster screeched, releasing its prisoner and jumping into the air, black wings sliding out and beating rapidly as it shot into the open night sky.

"Sir! You scared it off!"

The voice of the speaker sounded amazed, but Xuren knew better. "No; it just decided it was time to leave." The grin was still on his face as he released his Keyblade. "So many sightings of it lately…seems odd, doesn't it?"

"It…does, sir?"

"Well, we didn't hear much about it for a while, now did we?" Xuren commented. Then he shook his head, the wide grin still plastered on his face. "But that's Ok; it keeps things from getting boring."

**Gillick **panted as he watched the last of the Keybladers race off, then flinched as he felt his wounds throb. _Stupid Keybladers._ He'd been awakened early that morning when a group of Keybladers had discovered him; before he'd even become fully aware, they'd left a nasty gash on his arm. Thankfully, that had woken him up enough to ward them off and get away with only a few other minor cuts. He couldn't, however, help being annoyed with the fact that he'd been caught off guard. _Damn it. I have to be more careful._

But that was in the past; now he had to warn Mala and Riun about the Keybladers nearby.

He arrived outside the Silver Fang camp and crouched down, wishing there was more to hide him than the grass. As the minutes ticked by, he twitched impatiently. _Come on, or I'll be caught._

At last he heard the rustling that signaled his two companions were coming, and warily lifted his head to make sure it was them. When it was confirmed, he stood. "What happened to your arm?" Mala gasped when she reached him.

"Keybladers found me while I was sleeping," he replied, "which is what I need to warn you about."

"It's so bloody," Riun whispered.

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Gillick responded, rolling his eyes.

He heard the sound of something tearing, and looked to see Mala ripping a piece of fabric off the bottom of her shirt. "What are you doing?" Gillick asked, surprised.

She didn't answer him directly, instead going up to him and wrapping the fabric around the wound. "So it doesn't get infected, or anything," she explained sheepishly, blushing as she tied it.

"I would've been fine," Gillick told her, "but…thanks." Mala nodded quickly, looking down and self consciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Gillick frowned. What had gotten into her?

"Nothing new for the Silver Fang," Riun told him when it appeared Mala wasn't going to say anything more.

"Ok; I'm going then."

When they parted ways, Gillick couldn't help glancing down at the make-shift bandage on his arm. It was strange, having someone who actually cared about him, but…not entirely bad. And for the first time in years, a small, genuine smile lifted the corners of his lips.

_That's it for chapter fifty - five. Please review?_


	56. Unwanted Assistance

_Chapter fifty - six, updated early because I'm leaving at 3:45 tomorrow morning for a school trip over the weekend. Thank you caitlinkeitorin and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Six: Unwanted Assistance**

Allia allowed her gaze to travel over the Silver Fang camp. She sighed, leaning back. _It's strange that nothing really interesting has happened, _she thought wryly. In fact, except for when the Silver Fang moved out, things seemed incredibly dull. She snorted. _When I joined, I expected there to be more excitement._

Then again, there really _should _have been. Every so often, she'd felt the presence of someone very light or very dark hovering nearby. To her surprise, however, Silver always seemed to move very near to the moment of the assassin's realization.

Her eyes landed on a certain former thief at the thought. _Ah, yes. She always seems to be present when that happens, too. She and that little kid, Riun, anyways._ She stiffened at the thought of the child. Mala she'd never minded much; though she'd caught her off guard, she'd also helped save her, and she supposed that it evened out. With Riun, however, she couldn't help remembering how the boy had lit her on fire, effectively making her too damaged to fight against Viril when he came for her. From the looks he shot her, he seemed to be as wary of her as she was of him.

She shook her head, irritated at herself. _Focus on the task at hand, _she reminded herself. She didn't have time to be fueling her bitter feelings…well, not about _that_, at least. Her eyes kept firmly locked on Mala, she started forward. "Hey. Thief."

Mala stopped at her voice, and turned to look at her in surprise. "Yeah?" she asked, blue eyes flickering with confusion.

_Probably wondering why I called her 'thief' instead of 'Mala.'_ But now wasn't the time to think of that. "Why do you keep going to talk to Silver?" she asked, deciding to get straight to the point.

Mala's eyes flickered nervously at her question, but, to her credit, she didn't flinch away. _Coming along in leaps and bounds, _Allia commented silently. "I've just…had a lot of information for her, is all."

"I _see_," Allia responded, making sure the girl knew she wasn't convinced. "And what exactly is this information about?"

"Anything that seems useful," Mala replied, looking uncomfortable.

"And what do you consider useful? More over, where are you getting this 'useful information'?" Allia gave her a wry smile that made the other female appear to grow even _more _uncomfortable, which she hadn't believed was possible. "Really, secrets aren't fun unless they're for everyone."

"Th-there's no secret!" Mala piped up quickly, looking suddenly defensive.

Allia quirked an eyebrow at the comment. "Is that so?" she asked. "Well, then why are you getting so uptight?" Mala didn't answer verbally, just hunched her shoulders and flashed her a look that said she wished she'd go away. For the moment, the assassin decided to comply. "Fine. I'll leave you to your secrets." She walked a few paces past her before stopping abruptly and adding in an overly - bright voice, "But I think I'll be keeping a closer eye on you. Figured I should warn you ahead of time." She felt the girl stiffen behind her, but she ignored it and continued to walk away.

**Mala **couldn't stop the waves of nervousness that flooded through her. _What if…she finds out about Gillick?_ The thought frightened her; she didn't want to know what Silver would do if she found out the black haired former Keyblader was trading information with two of her warriors. She grimaced. _Nothing good._

"Mala? Are you Ok?"

The blue eyed girl looked down at the little boy beside her in surprise. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine, Riun."

Riun frowned at her. "You don't _sound _fine."

Mala didn't know how to respond to that at first. She stuttered for a bit, then finally answered lamely, "I'm just wondering where he is. He should've been here by now."

To her relief, Riun didn't question why she used 'he' instead of 'Gillick'. He nodded, looking as if that answered everything. "Maybe he got lost?"

"Who got lost?" a voice interrupted, causing both to jump.

As mala caught sight of Gillick coming towards them, Mala involuntarily cried out, "Don't come closer!"

"Since when do you order me around?" Gillick asked, amber eyes narrowed. Obviously noticing the pleading look she was giving him, he sighed in exasperation and stopped. "Why?"

"Allia's getting suspicious," she replied quietly.

"The assassin?" Gillick asked, narrowing his eyes as he tried to remember. When Mala nodded, he rolled his eyes. "Great. _More _problems to deal with."

Mala noticed Riun's eyes had grown wide. "She might know?" he whispered, his voice sounding strained.

"She doesn't yet," Mala reassured him, "but…"

Gillick shook his head. "Whatever. If that bitch wants to rat me out, fine."

Mala let out an involuntary gasp of shock. "But…won't that keep you from helping?"

"No." Mala expected him to elaborate, but he didn't, instead saying, "Nothing new has been happening. I haven't noticed any Keybladers close to here, anyways."

Mala nodded. "Ok." She turned to leave.

Riun waved at him. "By, Gil-"

"Shh!" Mala warned, clamping a hand over his mouth before he had the time to blurt out Gillick's full name. Gillick shook his head at them, then turned around and headed away.

**Silver **was walking the perimeter of the camp when Allia found her. "Making sure no enemies sneak up on us?"

The Silver Fang leader jumped involuntarily at the voice, then silently cursed herself for doing so. "Yes," she responded dryly, "but apparently I'm not doing good enough." She looked pointedly at the assassin.

Allia offered her a half - innocent grin. "Well, I'm on your side, aren't I?"

Silver snorted. "Did you want something? Or were you just trying to surprise me?"

Allia's smile fell. "I have some news that I think you'd like to hear."

Silver snorted at that. The phrase was becoming all too familiar, having heard it from Mala so much recently. As nervous as the girl was, she was apparently growing very knowledgeable about observing her surroundings. "What is it?"

"You think Mala and Riun are finding out all the interesting information you're getting by themselves, don't you?"

Silver blanched at the comment. "How did you know-"

"They're not," Allia cut in. "They're getting it from Gillick."

For a moment, Silver was stiff with shock. Finally, she managed to spit out, "What?"

"I saw the two of them talking to him this morning," Allia continued. "I'd been wondering if something was up for a while, but wasn't sure until now."

Silver's green eyes narrowed. On the one hand, the assassin's story made sense; Mala had already seen Gillick once before, and admitted to it readily. However, she didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet. "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure," Allia replied seriously.

Silver closed her eyes briefly. "Then take me to where you saw them talking tomorrow. I'm not going to do anything until I see proof for myself."

"Of course," Allia agreed, and turned to head off.

Left alone, Silver let her thoughts wander. _Is he really following us? _she wondered. _And if so, why?_ An idea immediately presented itself to her, and she felt anger rush through her like fire at the thought. _To get revenge on us, just like any _noble _Keyblader would do._ The bitter thought gave her power, and she clenched her fists. _Well, I won't let it happen!_ She turned on her heel to continue her patrol. _If he's there come morning, then he WILL regret it._

**Gillick **frowned as he trudged towards the Silver Fang camp early the next morning. _Still no sign of Keybladers._ It was good news, but it still made the former Keyblader edgy. What were they up to?

He looked up and saw Mala and Riun approaching through the trees at the exact moment he arrived. "Good timing," he told them with a smirk.

"We weren't the ones late yesterday," Mala said, grinning.

Gillick blinked in surprise. _Is she _teasing _me?_ Looking at her suddenly nervous expression, he couldn't help but snort with amusement. Hearing the sound, she relaxed slightly. "Smart ass."

"What's that mean?" Riun whispered, tugging on Mala's shirt.

She didn't look like she knew how to answer that. "Uh…"

A voice saved her the trouble. "So, Allia _was_ right!"

The three whipped around at the sound of the angry voice. From the bushes appeared Silver, her green eyes glittering with barely restrained fury. Allia slowly stood, but remained where she was. Gillick instinctively reached for the sword strapped to his back. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"This is _my _camp, armor - less," she reminded him harshly. His amber eyes narrowed in fury at the remark. "So, the better question is: what are _you _doing here?"

"What does it matter?" Gillick spat at her, his grip on the hilt of his sword tightening, though he didn't withdraw it yet.

"Because you're not welcome here!" Silver spat. She turned her burning gaze to Mala and Riun. "And what were you two thinking, allowing him to stay here?"

"But he's helping us, Miss Silver!" Riun protested. Mala nodded her agreement after a moment's hesitation.

"Helping?" Silver repeated, sounding incredulous. "_Helping_? I'll believe that when the Keybladers magically turn good!" She gave a pointed look towards the black haired boy.

He got the message, and it caused his anger to spill over. "I'm not a Keyblader anymore!" he spat at her. "Were you even _listening _when I told you that? Or are you so wrapped up in my _freaking past _that you won't even try to understand?"

"Once a Keyblader, always a Keyblader," Silver retorted. "You proved that much."

"I hate the Keybladers as much as you do!" Gillick shouted at her, infuriated. "Will you just stop and listen?"

"I have no reason to listen to you," Silver responded, reaching a hand up to touch the hilt of one of her swords.

"Then I'll _make _you listen!" he spat, dragging his sword from its sheath and lunging forward.

Silver whipped her swords out of their sheaths and caught his strike between the two. "I knew it; you were never on our side."

"Gillick, what are you doing?" Mala cried in alarm.

Even Allia seemed a bit nervous. "You know, I never really wanted _this _to happen…"

"But…you told Silver," Riun reminded her quietly.

The two warriors broke apart, then lunged at each other instantly afterward. Silver slashed one sword at Gillick, who blocked the blow and spun to the side to avoid the swipe of her second sword. He slid his weapon along Silver's blade, intending to drag the sharpened edges through the woman's skin. She pulled back quickly, however, to avoid the slash. Gillick continued on the offensive, flipping his sword so that the tip was pointed towards Silver's chest and stabbing it forward. She crossed both her blades in front of her, preventing the strike from reaching her. She began to draw her swords out, and Gillick pulled back quickly to avoid being sent off balance.

"Stop fighting!" Mala shouted, but her words fell on deaf ears.

The two warriors glared at each other across the open space, eyes glittering with anger. Then they lunged forward.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter fifty - six. Please review?<em>


	57. Fighting to Believe

_This is chapter fifty - seven. Thank you Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Seven: Fighting to Believe**

Gillick's sword collided with Silver's twin blades in a flurry of sparks. Gillick's amber eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth, pushing harder against his opponent's weapons. Silver, seemingly knowing she'd be over powered, back away so that the boy's own weight was used against him. He started to resist falling, then stopped, allowing himself to fall into a roll to return him to his feet, spinning around as he did so with his sword flying rapidly out.

The weapon caught one of Silver's swords before it could cut him, but he was unable to block the second, which was rapidly flying towards his side. He hurriedly tried to duck away, but couldn't completely escape being caught by the blow, the weapon tearing open a gash in his side. He quickly found himself caught off balance, and tried to right himself. _Damn it. If I keep going on like this, then I'm screwed._ He allowed himself to fall to the ground to dodge Silver's attacks, rolling towards her so that she stumbled over his body and fell to the ground. He planted both hands on the ground, one still clenched tightly around the hilt of his sword, and forced himself to his feet, dashing forward and bringing his sword up to land a powerful overhead blow. Silver had rolled over, but was unable to regain her feet before he struck, and was forced to resort to simply blocking with a sword, brining the other up quickly to try and force Gillick's strike to the side and send him off balance. She wasn't quick enough, however, and Gillick powered through her defenses. She attempted to roll away, but still ended up getting a shallow wound on her arm.

"Please, stop fighting!" Mala pleaded again.

Gillick spared her a brief glance. "No! Not until she understands!"

"Hun, I don't think beating her senseless will make her understand _anything_," Allia told him dryly. "Actually, it's more likely to prove her point."

Gillick had no time to respond as Silver came flying towards him, her weapons swinging rapidly. He attempted to block all the blows, but she was fast, and the fact that she fought proficiently with more than one weapon at a time meant that he couldn't keep up. He weathered her strikes, taking shallow nicks along his body, until she finally paused in her drawn out combo. Then he slashed his sword out in a wide arc to force her back.

Silver looked startled for a few moments, then jumped backwards. However, he hesitation resulted in a long but shallow slash along her midsection, the wound spraying drops of crimson.

Gillick took the opportunity to backpedal, his mind whirling. He gritted his teeth. He hated to admit it, but it seemed like Allia had a point. There was no way, though, that he was backing down now. _Damn it…somehow, I'll _make _her see! Even if it kills me!_

The whole experience, for some inexplicable reason, reminded him of his fight with Senn. _But I won't lose this time!_ he growled angrily at himself, lunging forward with his sword drawn off to the side, ready to bring it forward to strike.

Silver, by this time, had recovered, and was able to block his blow. However, his greater strength caused her arm to be forced to the side. Her eyes grew wide at the sight, but she quickly retaliated by swinging her second sword towards his exposed left side. He spun to the side, allowing the weapon to slash through thin air. Silver spun around deftly, crossing her arms in front of her with her swords for out on opposite sides of her body. She dashed forward, rapidly drawing her blades out. Gillick lifted his sword to parry the blow, bracing the flat of the blade with one hand. The tips of Silver's blades screeched along his weapon, sending sparks flying, but they didn't breach his defense.

Gillick allowed himself a smirk. Silver obviously didn't have such a high bounty on her head without reason; she was very skilled with her dual weapons, and very fast. Her speed and skill were used to make up for her weakness: her lack of physical strength. Gillick, on the other hand, had a certain amount of speed _and _strength on his side; enough, at least, to overpower and keep up with his opponent.

"What are you smirking at?" Silver barked, drawing him out of his thoughts.

He glanced behind him, at Riun and Mala, who were watching with horrified expressions. Noticing she had his attention, Mala took a hesitant step forward. Instantly he returned his attention to the green eyed woman. "Why the hell does it matter?" he retorted.

Silver seemed to seethe at the comment. "Fine." She lunged forward without warning. "Then I'll just kill you without knowing!"

Gillick spun away from the quick strike, lashing out his sword to block the second blow that Silver sent flying his way. The swords clanged off each other, and the two jumped apart briefly before lunging back towards each other, weapons blurs of motion. Silver spun her swords quickly, trying to outmaneuver the black haired boy. Gillick, instead of trying to parry all the strikes, took a risk and flipping his weapon so that the tip of the blade pointed towards his opponent's midsection and stabbed forward. Though the sword was knocked about by Silver's he still managed to cut along her side, the wound adding to the blood that still seeped from the one across her stomach. She jumped back, glaring at him. His amber orbs glared back.

He had to get one of her swords away from her. She was far less deadly with only one blade than with two; it was his best option for defeating her.

_And then what? _he hissed to himself. _How are you going to _make _her understand you?_

He shook the thought away. _I'll cross that bridge when I get there._

He was jerked out of his thoughts when he noticed Silver lunging for him. He ducked quickly to the side, but still felt her sword cut through his left shoulder. He gritted his teeth, rolling away and back to his feet, spinning around in the same moment. "Don't get distracted," Silver warned him, eyes like green ice.

Gillick mentally scolded himself for not focusing. Aloud, he responded, "Shut up!"

"Isn't this getting a bit ridiculous?" Allia called from the sidelines.

"No," the two responded in unison before dashing back into battle, swords flying as they struck at each other, the ring of metal crying throughout the clearing.

"I don't like this," Riun whimpered, his voice barely audible over the increasing sounds of the battle. "Can't you make them stop, Mala?"

"No," Mala responded, her voice quivering. "I'm not…strong enough…"

"It's hard stopping two people who are so stubborn," Allia commented dryly. "I guess the only thing we can do is watch."

Gillick's eyes shifted briefly to the side, looking at the three observers. He watched as Riun shifted away from the assassin, who'd come over to stand next to him, and barely heard him say, "Maybe you shouldn't have said anything."

Then Gillick dragged himself back to the task at hand, pulling back rapidly as Silver struck. She was caught off balance, but easily recovered by sticking the tip of one of her swords into the ground and flipping over it, using the other to strike at her opponent.

In that moment, though, she had only a tenuous grip on the sword jammed into the earth.

_Now's my chance, _Gillick realized. He didn't intend to waste it.

He lunged forward, sword lashing out. Silver attempted to draw her weapon from the earth, but at the last moment, Gillick dropped into a slide, knocking the woman's legs out from under her. She tumbled to the ground as he regained his feet, quickly jerking the second sword from its place in the dust. He looked at the Silver Fang's leader, and was reminded once again of his battle against Senn. Before he knew it, he found himself repeating the man's words. "So, you ready to talk?"

"_Are you ready to give up and talk yet?" _

Silver glared at him, a disgusted sneer curling her lip. "Why would I talk to you, _Keyblader_, when _you _attacked _me_?"

"_Did you forget? You're the one who attacked me!" _

The words of the memory rang in his ears. Unlike him, however, Silver didn't lunge forward immediately after her angry words. Instead, she scrambled to her feet, gripping her remaining sword tightly as she hurried back several paces. Her eyes were narrowed, green depths calculating. She was trying to decide the best way to defeat him with only one weapon.

Gillick snorted at her. "You're not going to win now; _I'm _the one with two weapons, not you."

Silver lifted her head, looking down at him. "You're a bit too cocky for your own good. Wielding two weapons may prove more difficult than you think."

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed. "We'll see about that." He started to lunge forward, but the memory of his battle with Senn surged forward again and he hesitated. The old man may have been the first to attack, but he hadn't been the first to strike after he'd asked if he were ready to talk; Gillick had done that. Now, he figured it would be a smart idea the let her make the next move.

But damn, he hated it.

As he held himself still, watching the woman study him with those same haughty green eyes, he felt his annoyance come to a boil. "Well? What are you going to do, damn it?"

Silver snorted, her eyes narrowing to slits. "I'm going to figure out how to beat you, obviously. If you're not going to make a move, that is."

Gillick radiated with fury, his fists tightening around the hilts of the swords until his knuckles turned white. It took all of his will to keep from lunging at her. _Bitch, _he thought mutinously, amber eyes blazing.

Silver continued to study him. "I don't understand; why attack me, just to suddenly hold back when you have the advantage?"

This was it; this was the opening he'd been looking for. The chance he needed to convince Silver that he truly was who he said he was. But his anger clouded his judgment, and he clenched his teeth against any words that may have burst forth.

Silver filled in the blanks with assumptions of her own. "Since when did you become a coward?"

Gillick's self control snapped. He lunged forward with a war cry, swords held out to his sides. "I am not a coward!" He dragged both blades upward, and Silver blocked them with her one, quickly moving backwards.

Gillick quickly discovered she was right about dual wielding being more difficult than it looked; it was hard for him to move the to weapons in his hands with the same synchronism she did, and his movements felt awkward and ill timed. _I did better with one sword!_ he thought irritably as he missed his target. Again. Frustrated with his lack of success, he tossed the extra sword behind him, the weapon landing in the dirt with a dull sound.

Silver quirked an eyebrow at him as their weapons slammed against each other. "So, it was too much for you?"

"No," he hissed furiously, though inwardly he knew he was lying. "It'll just be quicker if I do it like this!"

He pressed harder against his opponent's blade and, knowing she was about to pull back to send him off balance, pulled back himself. Silver's eyes widened a fraction in surprise, and the momentary distraction allowed Gillick to drag his weapon along her unguarded side. Her breath hissed out through clenched teeth as blood sprayed from the wound.

Gillick whipped around, ready to attack her again. She held her bleeding side with her free hands, teeth gritted and eyes flashing. "I'm not…done yet…" she gasped, her voice strained.

"Want to bet?" Gillick snapped.

He noticed her glance back towards her second weapon, and he felt alarm pulse through him as he realized what she was about to do. He dashed forward at the same moment she did, intending to slam into her with his body. She whipped around as he neared her, dragging her weapon rapidly upwards. His eyes widened as he tried to pull back and avoid the blow, but the sword still cut a long streak of red upwards across his chest. _She was tricking me, _he realized with wide eyes. _She knew that I'd get close if I thought she was going to get her other sword…close enough to wound me, maybe kill me, even in her weakened state._ Though he was still furious with the woman, he couldn't help - grudgingly - admiring her intelligence.

It appeared, however, that she didn't have enough left in her to continue the fight; she'd lost too much blood. She fell to the ground, her remaining sword slipping free from her fingers. She grasped vainly for the blade, attempting to pick it up, but was unable to.

Gillick stood over her, blood dripping from his wounds and his breathing ragged, but the light of triumph shining in his eyes. Fury pulsed through him as he looked down at the formerly powerful leader. _I should just kill her, _he thought bitterly. _After all, if I let her live, she'll just try to kill me again._ He gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands, the tip pointed downwards towards Silver's chest. She looked up at him, but no fear glowed in her eyes…only a faint, lingering sense of pride. His own eyes narrowed. "This is the end, Silver."

He'd just started to bring his sword down when he saw Mala and Riun out of the corner of his eye. Their expressions made him freeze the decent of his sword. _Why do they look so horrified? They don't actually _care _about this woman, do they?_ He looked the beaten warrior over, wondering what they saw. He felt his heart falter at what he was about to do. _I decided to protect them, _a voice whispered quietly in his mind, _and I wanted to make Silver understand. This does neither._ But how could he let her live, knowing what would happen if he did? He'd shown mercy before, and all it had brought him was more grief and pain. This would be no different, he was sure of it.

…And yet, if he didn't make the effort, then maybe he'd never come out from under the shadows of his past as a Keyblader.

He felt the war flare inside him, and then did one of the hardest things he'd ever done. With a cry, he brought the sword down. Instead of being stabbed into soft flesh, however, it was jabbed into the earth just beside the Silver Fang's leader.

Silver's green eyes were wide, but she still managed to comment, "I think you need to work on your aim, Keyblader."

Gillick gritted his teeth. "I am not a Keyblader," he hissed, "and I didn't miss."

Silver's surprised green eyes flicked to him as he pulled his weapon out of the ground. He could feel every instinct, every fiber of his being, screaming at him, telling him to kill her. He ignored him, slowly forcing his protesting muscles to lift his sword and slide it back into its sheath. His hand lingered on the hilt, unwilling to release the weapon. Slowly he forced his fingers open and lowered his hand, his breathing unconsciously growing heavier from the effort.

"Why?" Silver asked him, apparently too surprised to be suspicious. "It's obvious you don't want to let me live, so why do it?"

Gillick slowly curled his fingers into fists. "I'm…taking a leap of faith." He heard Mala gasp behind him, and knew what she was thinking of: when he'd been the Light Army's captive, and she'd helped him escape. "I may not like you, and I know you'll kill me the second you get the chance," he told her quietly, "but killing you wouldn't protect Mala and Riun, and it wouldn't make you understand. So even though it's against everything I've been taught, against every instinct in my body, I'm not going to do it." Then, before she could respond and make him change his mind, he forced himself to walk as quickly as he could away from the clearing.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter fifty - seven. Reviews would be awesome, please!<em>


	58. Understanding

_This is chapter fifty - eight. Thank you scrawlx1012 for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Eight: Understanding**

Silver felt surprise lance through her as Gillick sheathed his sword and walked away. _He's…what…?_ Her mind was still trying to grasp exactly what had happened.

"Well, I guess it might be a good idea to get someone who can heal, hm?" Allia commented, jolting her out of her shocked thoughts.

"That…would be helpful," Silver agreed, her voice faint from loss of blood. She heard someone snort, then the sound of footsteps receding.

Her green eyes slid closed. She kept trying to understand what had happened, to comprehend why Gillick did what he did. However, at the moment, she was feeling lightheaded, and thinking wasn't coming too easily.

In the end, she allowed herself to fall into a comfortable unconsciousness.

**Mala **kept her gaze fixed on the place where Gillick had left through. _He's really that determined to protect us, then? _she wondered. Then she smiled slightly. _I think he wants to fight the Keybladers as much as Silver does; he's just too stubborn to admit it._ Still, it was nice to believe he really cared for her and Riun.

She couldn't help thinking of how he'd been when she'd first met him. The two of them had fought constantly over their conflicting ideals, but somehow, in the end, they'd become companions who trusted each other completely. _It's strange, sometimes, how these things happen._

Her head whipped around at the sound of footsteps returning. Allia appeared first, followed by one of the Silver Fang's mages. The mage briskly walked over to Silver and examined her wounds, then checked her pulse, remaining still for a few moments before giving a decisive nod. "Right. Well, her heart rate's a bit slow, but the wounds aren't too bad, as far as I can tell. Nothing life threatening, in any case; the bleeding's about stopped, actually. But to prevent infection…" The three observers watched in awe as the mage cast a Curaga spell, causing the wounds to close up neatly, the only trace that they'd ever existed the blood that splotched the clothes and skin of the Silver Fang's leader. "She'll could still be a bit light headed when she wakes up, but other than that, she should be fine." She hoisted the woman onto her back, nodded to the three observers, then headed off.

The trio stood in awkward silence for several moments before Riun interjected. "See? Gillick's a good guy."

"Was that comment directed at me?" Allia hissed, glaring at the young boy.

Riun flinched, then hid it with a pout and crossed his arms across his chest. "You told Silver," he accused.

"Obviously," Allia commented. "She's my leader, and Gillick was banished; I'm supposed to report things like him sneaking around."

"But he's not bad!" Riun protested.

Feeling awkward, Mala reached down and grabbed Riun's arm. "Come on, Riun; let's go."

"But-" Riun protested, but was cut off by Allia.

"The two of you could get in trouble for this; you know that, yes?"

Mala stopped short. She took a deep, shaky breath. "Y-yeah."

"And you're Ok with that?" Allia questioned.

The thief closed her blue eyes, silently wondering about that herself. She silently admitted to herself that she felt resentful of the fact that Gillick had brought this upon her. And yet… "I-I don't like it," she stammered, "but…well, I trust Gillick."

Allia was silent for a few moments, then heaved a sigh. "Well…I suppose you know him better than I do," she muttered grudgingly. "But, for the record, I still don't trust him."

Mala wasn't surprised, but didn't say so aloud. Instead, she started walking again, dragging Riun away from the assassin and back to the Silver Fang camp.

**Senn **found himself growing restless. He'd watched Gillick's battle with Silver through the boy's sword, and knew that the Silver Fang leader may have a change of heart because of the experience.

That, however, was not what was troubling him.

The man trailed his fingers through the water that sat stagnant in a basin that rose to his waist. The images within broke, disappearing into the glowing depths of the pool. He withdrew his hand and stared at his fingers absently. _Things are coming to a head, _he thought bleakly. After all, the Armies knew about the X - blade again, and were attempting to find a way to forge it. He'd be far less concerned if no one knew the secret besides himself. But, unfortunately, that was not the case, as Silver had proved.

_No…it was never the case, _he reminded himself quickly. He closed his eyes, remembering those he had left behind long ago. _I wonder…what has happened to them now. If there are even any left._

Then he shook his head. _No…that information is irrelevant right now. Regardless of whether or not any or still alive, it does little to change the matters of the present._ He sighed heavily, folding his hands behind his back and looking to the stone ceiling above his head. _And we have many of them, indeed._

Silently, he couldn't help wondering how many of those problems…were caused by him.

**Gillick **leaned back against a tree, wincing as the action tugged on his wounds. They'd stopped bleeding after he'd applied some pressure to them, but he lacked the bandages to cover them up. _Damn…Curaga would've been good, _he thought, grimacing. However, he wasn't willing to use _that _just to satisfy his own discomfort. He finger his tattered clothing and scowled. _Hmph…at this rate, I'll need to get new clothes._ The thought didn't really appeal to him, but it was preferable to wearing rags.

He looked up to the night sky, watching the full moon as it hovered high above him and wondering what would happen now. He snorted. _That fight with Silver probably didn't do any good, _he thought with a sneer. _But hopefully it didn't make things worse, either._

…He had a feeling he wouldn't get that wish.

He snorted, narrowing his amber eyes. _So…what now?_ He was surprised at how disappointed he felt that he might not be able to help the Silver Fang any more. _What the hell? I was only helping to protect Mala and Riun; I can do that anyways, without their knowing._

Or was there another reason? Was his anger against the Keybladers rising up, making him want to side with those who'd abandoned him?

He ignored the thoughts that suggested that.

Gillick looked away. He could feel tiredness dragging at him, and rubbed his temples as a headache started to form. _Just sitting here wondering is getting me nowhere, _he thought irritably. He pushed off from the tree, knowing that he wouldn't get much sleep that night, despite how tired he was. _Might as well do something productive instead, _he thought grimly.

He thought he knew just what he could do. _See what the Keybladers are doing at night._ Even if he couldn't get the information to the Silver Fang, he'd find a way to use it…somehow.

**Silver's **eyes snapped open to darkness. She glanced around her, briefly wondering why she was in her tent before realizing that she must've been carried back their after her fight with Gillick.

At the reminder of Gillick, she felt her body stiffen. _"I'm…taking a leap of faith."_ The words echoed through her mind, reverberating until it made her skull hurt. Her mind kept screeching the question 'why' at her, and she lay still on the mat beneath her, frowning as she tried to figure it out.

He said he'd wanted to protect Mala and Riun. She wasn't sure how much she believed about that, and yet…_It seems like a possible explanation for letting me live._

Then her lips curled in disgust as a new thought struck her. _Or letting me live was just a ploy to earn my trust. When I'm not looking, he'll stab me in the back with that Keyblade of his._ After all, he hadn't hesitated to attack her earlier; why should he hesitate now?

But would he really do something so against his nature for the sake of some small ploy? It had looked extremely difficult for him to return his sword to his sheath without ramming it through her. _Harder acts have been performed for someone's plans, _she reminded herself, though she couldn't completely crush the flicker of doubt.

"_I am not a Keyblader, and I didn't miss."_

She tried to close her mind off from the words. _Shut up. He _is _a Keyblader. There's no possible way he could actually be on our side. There's just…no possible way…_

The doubt was still there, though. It was beginning to annoy her.

Her lips twisted and her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about the situation. _Keybladers…they were once like everyone else, weren't they?_ She thought, green eyes glimmering. _Once upon a time…I wanted to be a Keyblader, didn't I?_ She closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift into the memory.

"_**Mom, **__who are they?"_

_The woman looked down at her young daughter with kind, sad eyes. "They're Keybladers, Silver."_

_The young Silver turned her wide green eyes to the people who were parading through their town. "What are Keybladers?"_

_Her mother seemed hesitant to answer. Eventually, she replied in a slow, hushed voice, "The Keybladers…are warriors that have been chosen by a powerful weapon called the Keyblade, based on the strength of their hearts."_

"_Really?" Silver asked, impressed. She peered through the legs of the adults in front of her, thinking, _I bet I could be a Keyblader.

_Her mother nodded, her eyes shadowed. As if guessing her thoughts, she added, "I wouldn't start thinking too much about them, little one; the Light and the Darkness have been fighting for a long time."_

_Silver frowned. "What does that mean?"_

"_It means that the Keybladers don't get along," her father interjected, a stern look on his face._

"_You could be a bit more gentle about it," her mother huffed._

_Her father shot her a sidelong look. "Just because you-"_

"_Can I be a Keyblader?" Silver interrupted, almost completely oblivious to her parent's conversation. At the surprised looks they shot her, she added, "I don't want to be fighting everybody all the time, though, so I don't think I'd be the Light or the Darkness."_

_Her mother's face held an odd expression. "That's…a nice sentiment," she said slowly. Her father made a disgruntled sound, but did nothing else. The woman shot him a look, then bent down and turned her daughter to face her. "Listen to me, little one; be wary of the Keybladers. I've…well, I know about how they work." She reached up and touched the corner of the old notebook that peeked out of her jacket pocket, a nervous expression on her face._

_Silver frowned. "Ok," she agreed. Inwardly, though, she was still determined to find a way to be a Keyblader._

**Silver **drew herself out of the memory with a sigh. _Funny how I ended up fighting all the time, anyways, _she thought. _And how drastically my wishes changed._ Remembering the notebook, she sought it out, opening it up and scanning the pages, thought she hardly needed to; she'd read over it many times before.

She'd never really understood how her mother had gotten the book; it seemed very old, and was filled with information about the Keybladers. She sighed heavily. _Perhaps it's why they killed her, _she thought, her eyes narrowed. _They wanted the information._ As far as she was concerned, though, it was no excuse.

Her mind flashed to several odd occurrences that had happened with her mother and Keybladers. They'd seemed to be familiar with her, though it hadn't mattered much to her at the time; after all, she'd been very young. And yet…all those moments led up to one uncomfortable solution. She stiffened, pushing the thought away. _No…there's no way she was a Keyblader. She lived with me and Father, after all. It's not possible._

But she couldn't extinguish that flicker of doubt.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter fifty - eight. Review?<em>


	59. The Knight

_Here's chapter fifty - nine. Thank you Eddie Camp and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Fifty - Nine: The Knight**

Gillick's eyes shifted sideways. "Are you done yet?" he grumbled, thinking of thousand better things he could be doing.

The woman in the chair didn't even spare him a glance. "It'll be done when it's done," she responded as she drew the needle up through another hole in his shirt.

The black - haired boy rubbed his temples, his head aching. He'd spent the night searching for information on the Keybladers - for _signs _of them - and had found nothing. During the early hours of the morning, he'd found the small village he was now in, and had decided to use the opportunity to get his tattered clothes mended. Unfortunately, the woman he'd paid was taking longer than he'd hoped.

He slowly let his tired eyes wander around the room. The alighted on an old painting on one of the walls. Frowning, he pushed himself up and walked over towards it. "What's this?" he asked, pulling it off the wall and examining it curiously. _A heart shaped moon? _he wondered, amber eyes narrowed.

"Careful with that!" the woman warned, looking up from her work.

He looked back at her, for the moment keeping the painting in his hand. "Well?" he asked, as if she'd never spoken.

The woman sighed, turning back to her work. "If you must know," she began, "it's from an old legend…one not many people remember. It's said that that moon was a legendary kingdom. It's said that there were once many knights of that kingdom, but now there's only one. It comes out only at night, to collect hearts for its kingdom."

Gillick felt his blood run cold. "I see," he said slowly, putting the painting back up on the wall. There was only one knight who was image was burned into his head from that story: _the _Knight. Could this legend have a grain of truth, then? He remembered when he and Trevor had been attacked by the Knight when they were young and shivered involuntarily. Now more than ever, he wondered who - or what - the Knight was. _I need to find out, _he thought, his gaze hardening. After all, knowing the identity of an enemy would bring him one step closer to beating it. And he knew that he had to defeat it.

"Here." The woman's voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he turned and caught his mended shirt as she threw it towards him. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No," Gillick responded immediately as he slipped his shirt back on. The woman made a disapproving noise at his brusqueness, but he ignored it, instead fixing his shoulder plates, straps, and sheathed sword back into place. He left the house without another word.

He walked slowly out of town, dawn coloring the sky. He didn't have enough money to pay for an inn, and knew he'd have to find someplace to sleep out in the forest. His eyes narrowed as he thought of the Knight. _One day, I will face you again. And this time, I _will _win._

After all, now he had more that he wanted to protect.

**Xuren **bowed his head before Viril, who was looking at him with his hidden eyes in the large, dark throne room of the Dark Army's main base of operations. "You're telling me," he said slowly, "that the Knight attacked you, and I didn't hear about it until now?"

"I didn't think it was that important, sir," Xuren responded, amber eyes flaring. He flashed a wicked grin. "After all, we chased it off."

Viril stood and walked towards the dark Keyblader. "Nothing chases the Knight off." Xuren quirked an eyebrow, his grin falling. How could he be so sure?

He didn't have much time to ponder it as Viril stopped beside him. "Next time the Knight attacks you, report to me immediately," he ordered.

"I didn't know you were that concerned for my safety," Xuren mocked.

"I'm not," Viril replied instantly. "The Knight, however…is something I need to know about." He exited the throne room without another word, leaving Xuren alone.

The dark Keyblader felt his fists slowly clench. He remembered when the Knight had attacked the town he was in, after Viril had been furious at him for disobeying orders. It had seemed too convenient. And now, the Dark Army leader had openly admitted that he was more concerned with information about this _monster _than the safety of his Keybladers. Not that this fact bothered him; on the contrary, he preferred it. However, it did point towards a startling idea.

If there was one thing Xuren hated, it was being made to be afraid. The Knight had done exactly that to him.

Xuren snorted, a sneer crossing his face. _Well, maybe I don't want to work with someone who's so _interested _in a creature like that._ A wide grin suddenly crossed his face, his amber eyes growing wide and flaring with manic delight. _Maybe I'll take things into my own hands._

**Trevor **paced slowly through the regions of the main Light Army stronghold, his hands folded behind his back. His lips twisted downwards into a frown as he looked up at the ceiling. _I wonder what Master Tollun wants? _he thought. He heaved a sigh, his shoulders slumping. Ever since his fight with his brother, he'd had troubling thoughts about his leader. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't push them away; he couldn't destroy them.

There was always doubt. He hated it.

He lifted a hand and touched the skin just below one of his eyes. He was sure that, at the moment, it was as blue as ever. But he could feel power, pulsing inside him, a snarling beast ready and waiting to break free of its cage. It terrified him. _What happens if I'm stronger than Master Tollun? _he wondered, feeling his body quiver at the thought. _What do I do then?_

He had no more time to contemplate those troubling thoughts, however, as he arrived at the door to Tollun's office.

He lifted his hand and knocked on the door and, after a command of "Enter!" pushed through into the room.

Tollun was sitting at his desk at the far end, his head bowed and his hands steepled in thought. "You wanted to see me?" Trevor asked hesitantly, stepping further into the room.

Tollun looked up at his approach. "Yes," his master responded. "Something needs to be done about the Silver Fang."

Trevor nodded. "I know," he responded, "but we haven't located them yet."

Tollun's eyes narrowed in thought. "Or perhaps they simply need to be flushed out of hiding." Trevor felt confusion flush through him, but Tollun continued on without paying any heed to it. "When they appear, I want you to lead the attack against them."

"But, sir, how will we get them to come out?" he blurted, then blanched, appalled. _I just questioned my leader!_

The leader of the Light Army, however, didn't seem to take offense. Instead, his silver eyes glinted oddly, and he replied, "Just leave that to me, Trevor."

**Mala **waited just outside the Silver Fang camp, her arms folded across her chest. "He's not coming, is he?" she murmured under her breath, though the only one around to hear her was Riun. His only response was to look dejected and allow his shoulders to slump.

"You aren't surprised, are you?" a voice asked.

Both jumped, and whipped their heads around to see Allia approaching them from the bushes. "H-how long have you been there?" Mala stammered, alarmed, while Riun hid slightly behind the girl.

"Long enough," the assassin responded dryly. She raised an eyebrow at them. "He may sometimes be reckless, but he's not an idiot; he wouldn't come back so soon after knocking Silver on her ass."

Mala gripped her arms tightly, looking away. "I know. It's just…"

"Just what?" Allia questioned as she trailed off.

Mala shook her head. "It's…nothing. Forget I said anything."

Allia didn't look like she believed her, but comment aloud. Instead, she responded, "Well, I'm going to head back to camp."

An eerie cry, however, halted her in her tracks. She lifted her head, cocking it to one side as she looked up to the sky. "What was that?"

Mala and Riun had both grown stiff. _No. It can't be…!_ But a shadow flitting overhead proved her wrong. She stared up, numb with horror, as the apparition briefly blocked out the light of the sun. Riun's stuttering voice said what she could not. "I-it's the Knight!"

No sooner had he said it than fire came hurtling down out of the sky, the flaming ball causing a small tremor and igniting the grass around them. Mala felt fear begin to take over. It had been a while…since she'd been so close to the Knight. She couldn't think…she couldn't breath…she could only stand frozen as the fire raged around her.

Then she felt someone shake her shoulder. "What are you doing?" Allia hissed. "We've got to run!"

The assassin's insistent voice snapped her out of her trance, and she immediately took off in the direction of the Silver Fang camp, Allia and Riun following behind.

When they arrived, they were greeted by chaos. The Silver Fang warriors were rushing around the camp, some fleeing desperately away, and others racing to fight the monster that now stood in their midst. Mala skidded to a stop, realizing that she'd fled in the wrong direction. The Knight was standing amidst burning tents, whipping its head around to glower at whatever stood in its path with hidden eyes. A Silver Fang warrior lunged for it, but the monster caught his throat in one clawed hand, thrusting the other through the man's stomach. There was a gurgling sound, and then a squelch as the Knight withdrew its hand, dropping the lifeless body of the warrior onto the ground. The other Silver Fang that hovered around it quailed at this sight, suddenly seeming hesitant to attack. The Knight didn't give them the chance to decide; it lunged for the nearest one. He let out a cry of alarm that quickly turned into a bloody gasp as the creature's fist slammed into his chest. A woman attacked it from behind with a cry of fury, but she was unable to save the man from the lightning that jolted through his body. The woman was flung off by a wing that slid out of the monster's back, and was immediately jumped upon, blood spraying from her as the Knight mauled her.

Several Silver Fang warriors fled at the sight.

"Mala! Allia! Riun!" She didn't turn as she heard Silver's voice and approach. The leader of the Silver Fang skidded to a halt beside them, green eyes wide as she stared at the invader in her camp. "What is that thing?"

"Apparently, it's that Knight monster these two claimed killed those travelers," Allia responded, jerking her thumb towards Mala and Riun.

"N-normally it only comes out at night," Mala whispered, still held in captive fear by the monster.

Silver seemed surprised, then turned her gaze back to the Knight. "Well, no time to worry about why it changed now." She passed Mala her bow and arrows. The thief stared at them dumbly for a few moments before Silver hissed in exasperation, "Well? Go on, take them!" Mala jerked at her voice, then slowly curled her fingers around the weapons.

Silver jerked her swords out of their sheaths. "Now, it's time to fight."

Mala returned from her stupor at the action. "You can't fight that thing!" she screeched. "It'll kill you!"

Silver, however, paid no heed to her warning. The Knight fired a blast of ice at one of the Silver Fang, encasing the woman's left side. Silver let out a battle cry, drawing the monster's attention to her as she swung her dual weapons towards its head. It lifted its hands and fired off a Fira spell. Silver quickly dragged her swords in front of her, crossing them in an X to block the attack. Most of the damage from the spell was negated, but the force of the attack still sent her sprawling backwards.

Allia suddenly appeared behind the creature, dragging one of her poisoned daggers towards the exposed area on its upper arm. Wind surrounded it, however, propelling the assassin backward. She recovered quickly, darting back in to deliver a blow. This time she was blocked by an armored hand. A Thundaga spell rained down on her, causing her to let out a cry of pain.

Silver took the opening to slash at the monster. The attack hit its armored midsection, not doing any damage, and the woman was nearly impaled by one of the Knight's clawed hands. The action, however, distracted it enough so that it released its captive. She darted towards Allia, sheathing one of her swords and grabbing her in her free hand. Her speed was her saving grace; she managed to get them both out before they could be engulfed by the Knight's Firaga spell. "Thanks," Allia managed.

"Don't thank me just yet," Silver muttered, looking grim.

The Knight turned to look towards them. There was a slight hissing sound from inside its helmet, and its eyes glowed briefly through the shaded visor. Mala flinched backwards, dragging Riun away from the scene. She looked wide - eyed at the Knight and its targets. _I have to help them. I have to help them._ She lifted her bow, shakily stringing an arrow and firing it. The weapon ricochet off of metal, and she stifled a cry of alarm, but the Knight remained focused on its current targets. Fear over-rode any other desires, and she huddled near a fallen tent with the young boy kept close to her side.

The Knight lunged for the two women, who jumped opposite ways. Silver lunged in first, attempting to use her twin swords to cut into the upper arm. The Knight, however, lifted a gauntleted hand, and the two strikes rang in succession off the metal. Allia attacked while the monster was distracted by Silver's strike, but it whirled around quickly and kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying. Silver, who was still nearby, attempted to strike its helmet. It shifted slightly, though it seemed more for positioning rather than dodging, and the blow instead hit one of its shoulder plates. It lifted the hand closest to the woman. A fleeting look of horror crossed her face, and she dropped to the ground just before the ball of fire incinerated her.

Beside Mala, Riun took a shaking breath. He hurried out of his hiding place. "Riun, what are you doing?" Mala screeched, instinctively going after him.

He paid her no heed, however, and lifted his hands and pointed them towards the Knight. "F-Fira!" he stammered, a fire ball shooting from his palms towards the monster. It collided with armor, seeming to do no damage. It did, however, attracted its attention. It growled quietly, then lunged towards the boy. Riun froze with fear, his eyes growing wide.

Mala skidded to a halt, looking at the approaching terror with wide eyes as fear thrilled through her veins. _Move…I have to move…!_ If she didn't do something, Riun would…

Feeling as if her actions belonged to someone else, she lifted her bow and strung an arrow, sending the projectile flying in the same instant. Her hand had been shaking slightly, causing her aim to be off; instead of colliding with the bare flesh of the upper arms, it glanced off the side of the Knight's head. The helmet turned slightly, and the Knight hissed furiously as it slowly slid back into place. It whipped out an arm, sending both Mala and Riun flying and skidding across the ground.

Mala expected it to attack them again, but instead it turned its attention to the other remaining Silver Fang warriors. She scrambled over to Riun, checking the boy for injury and breathing a sigh of relief when he seemed relatively uninjured, though shaken. _No thanks to you, _a voice scolded her silently. Feeling guilt pulse in her heart, she turned her attention back to the Knight.

It was quickly taking care of any Silver Fang nearby. It grabbed one woman and twisted her head sharply to one side, breaking her neck, before swinging her limp body back at the man was raced forward after her. "Leave them alone!" Silver snarled, rushing forwards and slamming her swords across the monster's back. As the Knight screeched, Silver called out, "Silver Fang, retreat! Get to safety, now!"

Then the Knight grabbed her throat in its hand. She struggled against it, flailing her blades as the monster dragged a hand back to strike. Allia, however, was able to intervene before the attack could occur, her daggers flashing towards the exposed flesh. The Knight dropped Silver to block the attack, sending the other woman flying with a powerful Fira spell. Silver was struggling up, trying to move away from the monster while she caught her breath. Allia was also pushing herself up, muttering, "Fire…why is it always fire?"

The Knight, however, didn't intend to give them much time to recover. It lunged for Silver, pointed tips of its fingers outstretched. Silver rolled away, unable to regain her feet in time. The Knight continued after her, not giving her time to recover. Allia, who had burns down one side, threw a couple of knives, but the weapons clattered uselessly against armor. Though the two women were brave, the Knight was swiftly draining their energy.

Mala whimpered slightly as she watched. _Gillick…where are you? We need you now._ She looked at Riun, and knew the boy wouldn't be able to fight the monster any more. Shame instantly washed over her. This little boy was braver than her. She knew immediately what Gillick would say: _Stop being such a coward and fight!_

She lifted her head, watching as Silver and Allia fought against the Knight, then gave a slow nod. _I'm…going to do something to help, _she decided, slowly standing. She lifted her bow, stringing an arrow and drawing the weapon back so that the feathered end was near her ear. Her breathing calmed, her pulse slowing as her resolve strengthened. This time, she wouldn't miss; she was sure of it.

Initially, she planned on aiming for the arm; however, on second thought, she decided to shoot for the head. After all, the helmet had moved when she glanced it by accident; if she hit it with more force, it might come completely off. If they knew who - or what - was hiding beneath that helmet, then perhaps they'd stand a better chance at beating it. She blinked slowly, in that split second her years of living as a thief flashing behind her eyes. _I survived for so long on the streets…terrified, alone, and only acting to save my own life. Even after I left, and began this journey, I couldn't completely leave that life behind me. I was still living like a thief. But I can't live like that anymore. _As she took a steadying breath, she silently whispered, _Gillick…thank you._

Then she released.

The arrow flew true, a blur through the air. The Knight looked up from its attack on Silver and Allia. The projectile struck it head on. It let out a cry as the helmet was torn off its head by the force. The arrow continued on to imbed itself in a post that held up a miraculously still standing tent nearby. The helmet fell into the dirt.

Mala froze, her whole body growing cold. Shock and horror filled her heart; she knew the face that stared back at her. "Gillick?"

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><p><em>And that'd be the end of chapter fifty - nine. Reviews would be awesome, please?<em>


	60. Identity

_Here's chapter sixty. Thank you Twilight's Shad0w, the traveler90, The Sacred Rigel, explosivebagel, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty: Identity**

Mala's heart was hammering in her chest. _It can't be…I know it can't!_ But those eyes couldn't belong to anyone else.

"Gillick?" she asked again, since he hadn't so much as flinched the first time she'd said his name. One of his eyes twitched slightly. She took a few hesitant steps forward. "This…this is a joke, right? I mean, it's not really you, is it?"

She took another step forward. Suddenly Gillick's entire armored body twitched, and an almost inhuman sound ripped free from his throat. Mala froze in place, eyes growing wide as she wondered what she should do now. He lifted a hand, a fireball flying from it. She yelped, jumping to the side to avoid it. Something was very wrong if he would attack her and Riun.

If it was really him, of course.

"_You_? You're this monster that caused all this?" Silver's raised voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Startled, Mala looked towards where the Silver Fang leader was standing. She expected to see loathing; what she saw instead was complete and utter shock. Then her face contorted into one of unrestrained fury. "You bastard! You said you wanted to protect them, and now you're trying to kill them? And what you've done here…" She looked around at the bodies of her warriors and the destroyed camp before turning her burning green gaze back to him. "You're even worse -"

She was cut off as a Blizzaga spell hit her head on. She grunted as the spell impacted, sending her flying backwards. She lifted herself onto her elbows, but Gillick was already lunging towards her. She tried to lift her twin swords to block the blow, but wasn't quick enough.

Allia, however, was. She lunged forward, kicking out at Gillick's feet. He stumbled, and the assassin dragged the Silver Fang leader out of harm's way. "Hard to believe the guy I was supposed to kill is the Knight," she commented, her voice dry and her gaze hard.

"What are you doing?" Mala cried in alarm, hurrying a few steps forward before stopping abruptly, wondering again if what she was seeing was real.

She felt something tugging on her pants. "Mala." She looked down towards Riun. He looked as scared and confused as she felt. "That's…that's not really Gillick, is it?"

"I don't know," she whispered. She looked back at Gillick, wearing the armor of the Knight, as he fought against Silver and Allia. "When he told us about his past, he said the Knight attacked him and Trevor. And more than that, we _know_ Gillick. But…" Mala trailed off, shaking her head.

"It looks like him," Riun finished sadly.

Mala nodded, her shoulders sagging. Then she straightened. "No." The boy beside her looked at her in surprise, and she whispered, "It's not him. It can't be. I _know _he wouldn't do something like this."

"But who is it?" Riun whimpered. That was a question she couldn't answer.

While they'd been talking, the battle between Silver, Allia, and 'Gillick' had continued. Gillick still hadn't taken any damage, while Silver and Allia both had wounds littering their bodies. All three were breathing hard. _So whoever it is, it's an actual person._ An idea kindled in her mind, and she felt herself go rigid with fear at it. She shook, but she knew it'd be the best way to figure out who this Gillick really was. She took a shaky breath, her heart pounding in her ears. "Riun, run," she whispered, her voice shaking.

"Mala?" Riun asked in surprise.

She ignored him, lifting her bow and stringing an arrow. She'd intended to yell to get his attention, too, but found herself unable to do so, and instead simply released the projectile. It clanged off the Knight's armor, near the patch of skin showing on his upper arm. He turned to look at her, an odd sound coming from his throat.

Then he abandoned his weakened prey and lunged.

Mala watched him, terror filling her. She couldn't hear anything over her heart, which felt like it'd burst through her chest. She was shaking, sweat streaming down her face and her head beginning to spin. But she didn't move.

He reached her, knocking her down. She collided hard with the dirt, and looked up as he brought one clawed hand up to stab it through her. She searched for some sign - _any _sign - of who this person's true identity was. She could find nothing. As she watched the pointed tips of his hand fly towards her, she could do nothing but feel a sense of horror and despair wash over her.

Then the hand stopped, the tips of his fingers hovering just above her chest. Startled, she looked up at his face. It contorted momentarily, and a brief flash of recognition flared in his amber eyes. Then his face returned to its blank state, eyes dull. He made an odd, inhuman sound, then pulled away, shooting a Firaga spell from one of his hands into the midst of the Silver Fang camp.

He jumped away, leaving Mala panting where she was. "Mala!" Riun screeched, running towards her.

"Are you alright?" Silver asked, limping towards her.

"Y-yeah," she stammered, still breathing heavily, one hand clutching at her still - pounding heart.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Silver hissed as she skidded up by her.

Mala turned her wide blue eyes to her and whispered, "It's him. It's really Gillick."

"I'd gathered," Silver responded dryly.

"But…there's something wrong," she added. When Silver gave her an odd look, she continued, "His eyes were…dull. Like they weren't seeing me. But they cleared for a moment; that's when he pulled away. I don't think…he really knows what he's doing."

"Like sleepwalking?" Silver ventured. "You did say the Knight only comes out when it's dark."

"Something…like that," Mala replied. She still wasn't entirely sure what was going on. If Gillick was the Knight…then was what he told them about his past a lie? Or was there some other sort of magic at work here?

Silver narrowed her eyes as she watched Gillick rip through another member of the Silver Fang. Mala felt like she was going to be sick. "Well, trance or not," Silver commented, "I'm not going to let him kill any more people."

As she stood, Mala scrambled back to her feet. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to end him."

"What? No!"

Mala grabbed one of the woman's arms, but she jerked away quickly. She limped back towards Gillick, swords held at her sides in preparation to fight. The boy saw her coming, however, and quickly blocked her blow with his armored hands. An Aero spell flared up around him, sending the female warrior flying backwards.

Mala felt desperation seize her. "Gillick!" she cried. She raced forward. "Gillick, snap out of it!"

"Gillick!" Riun added his voice to hers.

He turned to look at them, eyes blank. The two of them skidded to a halt several paces away from him. "It's us," she breathed. "Don't you recognize us?"

His eye twitched slightly before he lifted a hand and fired a Thundaga spell towards them. "Look out!" Allia hissed, knocking the two down to save them from the strike. "Are you _trying _to get killed?" the assassin hissed.

Mala ignored her, struggling out from beneath the woman and looking into her friend's eyes. "I know you're still in there somewhere!" she called. "I don't know what's going on, but I know you can fight this!"

Riun appeared beside her, calling out, "Come on, Gillick!"

He stalked towards them, lashing out a clawed hand. The two ducked to the side, to avoid the strike. "I don't think he can hear you," Allia commented. She threw several knives at him, put they clattered uselessly off the armor that covered his chest. He kicked her hard, sending her flying.

Fear clutched Mala's heart. She didn't know what to do; this was Gillick, someone she trusted, but…he was also the Knight. The part of him that was Gillick, obviously, wasn't in control here; they weren't safe from him. She began to shudder uncontrollably. _What can I do?_ She didn't know…she just didn't know…

"Fira!" Mala felt a start of surprise as Riun called out the spell and the fire ball burst against armor. She looked at the boy, who was close to tears. "You're a hero; don't do this."

There was a slight twisting of his face, then he spun around to strike at the young mage. "No!" Mala gasped, lunging forward and grabbing his arm, shock and fear at her actions pulsing through her a few moments later. He looked back to her, jerking his arm to try and dislodge her. By that time Riun had rushed forward, grabbing his other arm and holding on tightly. He struggled against them, face contorting from an emotionless stare to one of pain. He let out a cry - a human cry - and black wings spread out from his back. They beat the air twice, momentarily lifting all three off the ground, before they suddenly dropped. The collision caused the two to lose their grip and tumble to the ground.

For a few moments, Mala lay where she was, stunned. Then Gillick's voice reached her; slow, hoarse, and sounding like he was in pain, but his voice. "Ma…la? Riun?"

Mala pushed herself up and looked at him. He was on one knee, looking at the two of them with a confused and pained expression. She nodded, hoping that they were breaking through. "Yeah. It's us."

The glowing spot on his left arm dulled slightly. His expression, however, returned to its neutral state, and he lunged to his feet, body carrying him towards them. "Time to get out of there," Allia hissed at them.

Mala stood, watching as he lunged. "Gillick," she whispered. Her eyes were wide, and for a few moments, she was rigid with fear. Then she summoned her courage, and listened to what her heart was telling her to do. She didn't run; instead, she spread her arms out. When he reached her, she wrapped them around his body. She gritted her teeth as she felt the clawed tips of his fingers slice through her shoulder, but felt him come to an abrupt halt, body growing stiff. "I am not afraid of you."

_**Where…**__am I?_ Gillick blinked his eyes open slowly. All around him was a dark haze. He looked around him, confused. _What is this place?_ he wondered, wading through the thick murk.

His head jerked up as he thought he heard someone calling his name. "Who's there?" he called.

He didn't expect the answer he got.

In front of him, the haze cleared slightly to reveal two figures. _Mala! Riun!_ They looked scared, but there was a flicker of relief that flashed through both their eyes. _What the hell is going on?_

Then he felt a splitting pain rush through him, and the haze around him thickened, converging on him. He struggled for a few moments before his body relaxed. He could just give in to the haze…the comforting emptiness…it'd take his pain away…

Then he felt arms wrap around him, and heard a voice whisper, "I am not afraid of you."

For a few fleeting moments, the haze disappeared. He was aware of Mala, pressed tight against him. He was aware of the wound on her shoulder, and the blood on his hand; his clawed hand. He was aware of the armor that settled over him, of the black wings that stretched from his back. "What's going on?" he asked, confusion pulsing through him.

Mala looked at him with relieved blue eyes. "Gil-"

Whatever she'd been about to say was cut off. Pain pulsed through him again, the haze returning with a vengeance. He cried out against it, the haze coming up to grab hold of him. He pulled away from Mala, the feeling of her arms already fading from his senses. He clutched at his head, fighting against the pain for a few moments. Then the haze fell over him. The pain disappeared, and he fell into blissful unawareness.

He could feel nothing.

He could remember nothing.

He simply _was._

**Mala's **relief turned to horror as Gillick pulled away from her. "What's wrong?" she asked, watching as he seemed to struggle against himself. A cry ripped from his throat and he clutched at his head, pain flashing through his eyes.

He suddenly became completely still. His hands lowered from his head, and his eyes returned to their blank state. He glanced towards her, an odd sound coming from his throat, before he spread the broken black wings that sprang from his back. Riun raced towards him, but a blaze of light stopped him. It started from the glowing patch on his left arm, then spread across his body. The armor seemed to be turned into light, and it pulled off his body, allowing him to fall, unconscious, to the ground. The light fell down beside him, forming into a familiar shape. "His sword," Mala whispered, wide - eyed. The runes on it glowed the same hue of blue as the patch on Gillick's arm had earlier before the light faded away.

There were a few moments of silence before Allia released a gusty sigh. "Well, that was…interesting."

"Define interesting," Silver responded angrily. Her fists clenched. "To think, I was beginning to change my opinion on him. When he wakes up-"

"I don't think you'll have to wait long," the assassin interrupted. Mala looked, and discovered she was right; Gillick was already beginning to stir.

**When **Gillick blinked his eyes open, he immediately felt confused. _What the hell?_ he wondered, looking around him in confusion. _Why am I in the Silver Fang's camp?_ Last he knew, he'd been in the forest, trying to fall asleep against a tree. He frowned as he pushed himself up. "What happened here?" he muttered, looking around at the destroyed camp. He saw his sword, and added silently, _And what the hell happened to my sword?_ It was out of its sheath, with a piece on the side of it missing.

"What do you mean, what happened here?" a voice spluttered.

Gillick looked to his side and saw Silver, Allia, Mala, and Riun staring at him. He sneered at Silver. _Great. Just who I wanted to deal with, _he thought sarcastically. "What do you think I mean?" he snapped. "And what are those looks for? Better yet, why am I here?"

Allia snorted. "…You really don't remember anything, do you?" She looked back at Mala. "Well, I guess you were right."

"Remember what?" Gillick asked, feeling frustrated and confused. "Right about _what_?"

Mala hesitated as the warrior turned his full attention to her. _"I'm not afraid of you."_ He flinched as he heard her voice resound through his head, along with an image of her looking up at him with relieved tears. He felt pain pierce his skull, and pushed the image aside. _What the hell…was that?_ It felt like that other time, a couple of months ago, when he'd had trouble remembering what happened during one of the Knight's attacks…

While he'd been thinking, Mala had walked away and picked something up. As she drew closer to him, she slowly held out the item in her hands. "Gillick…" she trailed off, looking sad. He frowned at her and stood. He looked at the item she held in her hands, and his eyes widened in surprise. _But that…looks like…_ She was holding something that came straight out of his nightmarish childhood memories, albeit it looked smaller than it did then.

She was holding the Knight's helmet.

He felt pain pounding in his skull and chest as he looked at it, and was about to look away when Mala forced it into his hands. "Gillick," she began again, "you're…the Knight."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter sixty! So, yes, Gillick really <em>is _the Knight. How? You'll just have to wait and see._

_Reviews would be great, please?_


	61. Remembrance

_This is chapter sixty - one. Thank you the traveler90, Draconet, Eddie Camp, caitlinkeitorin, and explosivebagel for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - One: Remembrance**

As the metal settled into his hands, Gillick felt immense pain flash through his head and heart. Images passed before his eyes, flickering and broken. He cried out, spots beginning to appear before his vision. He almost released the helmet, but hands reached out and kept it held firmly in his grasp.

The images continued to flicker across his mind, appearing solid one moment, then breaking up. _What's…what's going on…?_ he wondered. _Am I really…the Knight?_ Desperate to know the truth, he dug deep into his memories, fighting against the pain. Then, slowly, he turned his eyes down and looked into the tinted glass of the helmet.

Then the pain stopped, and instead he was being overwhelmed by a sea of sensations…of memories…

_Many towns, torn apart by magic. Many bodies; those of people killed by his hand…_

_Looking down at a frightened Light Army Keyblader. He could kill him, it would be so easy…no, it was Trevor…he couldn't kill Trevor…_

_Ripping into Keybladers, reveling in their destruction. Then pain pierced his arm, and he let out a cry. He looked at the arrow briefly before ripping it out, the wound closing up with the aid of a spell…_

_Xuren stood across from him, injured. His wounds weren't healed yet, either, but he wanted to crush him…_

_Racing about a town, listening to frantic cries as they searched for their protectors, the Keybladers…_

_Swooping out of the sky and cutting open a woman's fragile flesh with ease…_

_Blasting through the body of a Keyblader with magic…_

_Holding Xuren up by his throat…_

_Fighting Silver and Allia…_

_An arrow ripping off his helmet…_

_Mala and Riun begging him to stop…_

_Meeting someone who appeared to be the Knight…but that was wrong, _he _was the Knight…_

Gillick gasped as the flood slowly abated. He staggered a few steps backwards, his amber eyes stretched wide. "Gillick?" Mala asked as she released his hands, but he barely heard her. Though no new images poured in, the memories of what he'd done as the Knight continued to pulse through him.

"I…am the Knight."

The words escaped him, devoid of emotion. He looked down at the Knight's helmet, and watched as it flashed. The light from it went to his sword, healing the mar in its side. He slowly walked over to the weapon, reaching down and picking it up with tentative fingers. The runes on it flashed once, and Senn's words echoed through his ears. '_I thought you'd be worthy of the sword's power.'_ The Knight's power.

He looked at Mala, Riun, Silver, and Allia. He turned his gaze to the destroyed camp. He felt his breathing start to come in rapid, shallow breaths. "Gillick…?" Mala tried again, reaching a hand towards him.

He flinched away as if he'd been struck. He took a few more paces backwards before whipping around and racing off, ignoring the cries that resounded behind him. He didn't know where he was going; he just knew he had to run.

But no matter how far he went, he would never be able to outrun himself.

The images continued to flash through his mind; destruction, power, fear. His heart clenched. _What am I?_ He felt sick as he imagined himself ripping through someone's body; destroying innocent lives with no reason for the violence. _What kind of monster am I?_

He wasn't like the Keybladers; he was worse.

His legs gave out from under him and he fell to the ground. He dropped the sword, taking his weight on his hands and knees. He was breathing hard, his eyes stretched wide as his body shook. His heart felt empty, shattered, sick. He lifted his hands to clutch at his head, trying desperately to stop the visions that pierced his mind. _What the hell?_ He curled slightly in on himself. _What was all my fighting for? _He arched up suddenly, a scream tearing from his lips. _Stop! Just make everything STOP!_

He slumped, his head still lifted and his eyes closed. A few tears that he found himself unable to control slipped from his eyes. For a few moments, he just wanted to quit. To give up. It'd be easier than dealing with the horror in his mind; the guilt of what he'd done, and the knowledge of what he'd do again. He'd always thought he was strong…but maybe he wasn't strong enough…

He stayed in that same position for several moments, unable to find the will to move or act. Then he slumped forward, hands resting on his knees, and slowly opened his amber eyes. They scanned across the sword. He wondered why he'd brought it with him. His eyes narrowed in fury and despair. _That…_thing, he thought vehemently, _is what caused all this._ He reached for it, wanting nothing more than to smash it against some rocks, throw it as far as he could…or perhaps bury it in his own traitorous heart…

Then he remembered what Senn had told him. _When you're ready to listen, come and find me. The sword will show you the way._ Senn knew…he knew the secrets behind the Knight. Maybe he'd know a way to stop its power.

Collecting himself, Gillick forced himself to stand. _I may be…that _thing _now, _he thought, unwilling to think its name, _but I know what attacked me when I was a child. _He held the sword out in front of him, resisting the urge to get rid of it. _I need answers. And I _will _get them._ The ruins on the sword glowed briefly, and he felt it tugging him forward. Trying to push away the memories he'd regained of his time as the Knight, he allowed the weapon to pull him forward.

**Mala **looked up into the night sky. "It's close to the New Moon," she commented, looking at the sliver that was left of the orb. The darkness of the night would make her task simultaneously easier and more difficult. Taking a deep breath and positioning her quiver and bow into a better position on her shoulders, she prepared to set off.

"Where are you going?"

She jumped at the voice. "S-Silver!" she stammered, whipping around.

She could just barely make out the outline of the Silver Fang's leader in the darkness. "You wouldn't happen to be going after Gillick, would you?"

Mala inhaled deeply. She didn't like having to confront the warrior, but she knew she couldn't let fear stop her. Not this time. "I have to," she said quickly. "He…he's my friend, and I…" She trailed off, unsure of how to put what she felt into words.

"Well, then I guess you'd better get going."

She jumped in surprise. She hadn't expected that response. "Wh-what?" she stammered, unable to think of anything better to say.

"I'm still not sure how much I like him," Silver commented, walking towards her, "but I know now that he's not as bad as he tries to make himself out to be." She stopped beside her. "What he's going through now, I wouldn't wish on anyone." Mala continued to stare at the woman, dumbfounded, and Silver sighed, turning her gaze to the sky. "It's a beautiful night," she whispered. She paused, then added, "Go. Your friend needs you."

Mala dipped her head, emotion choking her. "Thank you, Silver."

She turned and headed off into the darkness of night, her eyes attempting to adjust. She remembered the words of a certain man, the one who'd given Gillick that cursed sword; words spoken to her during one of the Knight's attacks. '_There are connections all around you. The Knight is much more than what you see at first glance. Be very aware of that.'_ She closed her eyes briefly. _Gillick…I can't even imagine what you're going through right now._ Her eyes slid slowly open, the pinprick of tears in their corners. _But I'm going to be there for you…whatever it takes…_

**Trevor **walked towards Tollun's corridors, his heart heavy. His master had called him and, by this point, he knew that could only mean one thing. He knocked on the door, and Tollun called out, "Enter."

As he pushed through, the young general wasted no time in asking, "The Silver Fang have been found, haven't they?"

Tollun closed his silver eyes slowly. "So you'd guessed, huh?"

"It seemed the most likely reason," Trevor responded quietly.

Tollun nodded slowly. "Yes, they have been found. Apparently, the Knight attacked their camp not long ago. The stir attracted some of our Keybladers to the area. Once they realized what they'd found, they reported back to me."

Trevor sucked in his breath. "The Knight?"

"I want you to lead a group of Keybladers to the location immediately," Tollun continued as if he hadn't spoken. "I'll send one with you who saw the wreckage; she'll know the way."

_Does he even care…?_ His shoulders sank, and his heart felt heavy. "Yes, sir." He turned around to leave.

"Trevor." Tollun's voice caused him to stop short. "You seem out of sorts. Is everything alright?"

The boy forced dreary thoughts out of his mind, trying to forget what his brother had told him, and what he himself was beginning to see. "Of course, sir," he said, faking cheer as best he could. "Everything's fine."

Tollun was silent for several moments before saying, "Very well. Carry on." Trevor nodded, then continued out the door.

Never once did he look back.

**The **sword kept tugging Gillick onward, it's pull only lessening when he began to walk the wrong way. He tried his best not to think about what he'd done, instead focusing his pain into anger at the man who'd cursed him to be a monster. _When I find him…_ He silently listed ways to pay Senn back, though he knew he may never act on any of them.

He'd traveled for a full day and night. He looked around him, eyes narrowed against the wind. _This place is a wasteland._ Why was the sword taking him here? Or was Senn really sending him to his death…?

He shook his head. No, he couldn't think that way. Not now.

He saw a dark spot appear on the horizon. He raised his free hand to shield his eyes. _A cave, _he realized, just able to make out dark blue - gray stones. Knowing his destination was close, he made a beeline for the structure, the tugging of the sword emphasizing his hunch. He paused at the entrance to the cave for a few moments, looking into the darkness that stretched before him. Then he stepped forward, into the unknown.

The cave, he realized, was actually a tunnel. He continued forward through the darkness, the press of the tunnel walls and the persistent pull of the sword his only guides forward. The only thing he could hear were the sounds of dripping water and his own footsteps. It seemed an eternity before the darkness began to clear.

He stepped out into a cavern. He looked around at the blue - gray walls, then to the pool at the far end, which was emitting a pale green - white light. Before the pool stood Senn. The man glanced behind him as the black haired boy entered. "Gillick. I was wondering when you'd come."

Gillick shoved the sword into its sheath, then removed the sheath and threw it on the ground in front of him. "Talk," he snapped, his anger flaring. "Why does this sword create the Knight? And how come, in my hallucination from a few months ago, I saw _your _face when I hit off the Knight's helmet?"

Senn looked away. "You saw a hallucination of me? How interesting."

Gillick clenched his fists in fury. "Answer my questions!" he snapped, fury resonating through his voice.

Senn sighed, then turned around and lifted his hand. Light gathered before the appendage, suddenly bursting out into a long, sword - like weapon. A Keyblade. Gillick's eyes widened in shock, and Senn gave him a small smile. "I suppose you're wondering how I can do this, too? And how it answers any of your questions?" The Keyblade disappeared, and Senn raised the hand to rub his temples. "Actually, it is an intricate part to this mystery."

Gillick's anger cooled slightly, but his fists remained clenched. "Tell me. Tell me everything you know."

Senn gave him a sad look. "Of course; I suppose I owe you that much. But for you to truly understand, I will need to go back before the beginning…"

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter sixty - one. Reviews would be awesome, please?<em>


	62. Beginnings

_Here's chapter sixty - two. Thank you Twilight's Shad0w and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - Two: Beginnings**

"Before the beginning?" Gillick repeated, skeptical.

Senn nodded. "Back to when the X - blade - and all the other Keyblades - came into existence."

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed. "Why? What does this have to do with anything?"

"You'll understand, if you let me speak."

Slowly, the black-haired boy nodded his assent. "Fine."

Senn gave him a small, sad smile. "A long time ago, so far in the past that few still know the story, there was a Gate. What was behind this Gate was unknown, but all who came near it knew it was powerful; they could feel their hearts resonating with it. However, they were unable to discover the secrets lying behind the Gate; it was locked, and there was no key to open it.

"The people of the land tried many different methods to free the lock. They attempted to forge keys, search for a way around, pry the door open, and even pure, destructive force. However, nothing worked. Over time, the people began to argue. They fought about the best way to finally succeed in breaking through the Gate. Eventually, this conflict escalated, into a much more…violent struggle.

"Often, groups of people would meet at the entrance to where the Gate lay. They would fight against each other there; usually, all sides would end up the loser. One of these times, however, there were only two people. Siblings, a brother and a sister; one with a heart of pure darkness, the other with a heart of pure light." Instinctively, Gillick reached up a hand to touch the area just below one of his eyes. If Senn noticed this, he ignored it. "The two siblings, like most in the world, had conflicting opinions on how to open the Gate. They began to fight. This would be their downfall."

Senn hesitated, and Gillick lowered his hand from beneath his eye in the pause. "Well?" Gillick prompted, beginning to grow impatient.

"Their fighting caused them to fall," Senn said abruptly. "They tumbled, down to where the Gate was. They were followed not long after by a rock slide, which trapped them there."

"Of course they were," Gillick muttered, looking away.

Senn continued on as if he hadn't spoken. "When they got over their shock at being trapped, they began to fight again, despite being injured. Eventually, though, they were reminded of how much they cared about each other, as a family, and realized how foolish it was for them to be fighting against each other when, working together, they might be able to survive. They each took in their hands the hilts of their broken swords, and clasped those hands together; a silent way to agree that they would combine their powers, and their hearts.

"Then, the extraordinary happened.

"The power of two hearts…when combined together…can unlock new doors." Gillick had to wonder why Senn's voice sounded strained when he said this, but the man didn't give him time to ask. "The pure darkness and pure light in their hearts resonated with the power behind the Gate and combined with their sword fragments. From this combined power emerged the Key. With the existence of this new power, the siblings realized they may have found the way out. They used the Key to unlock the Gate.

"The power that came forth was not what they expected. It allowed them to escape, yes; but it did so much more." Senn paused and swallowed. "It created the Keyblades."

Gillick's eyes widened. "It did…what?"

"Created the Keyblades," Senn repeated. "These weapons went to those who were strong of heart, and whose intentions were noble. They were shocked, at first, not understanding what had happened. Then they learned of the brother and sister, and of the Key they'd forged by working together to unlock the Gate. With this new power given to them from the opening of the Gate, those who held the Keyblades promised to protect the land from ever ending up in such a desolate situation again. Then, to everyone's shock, the Gate and Key disappeared. The Key, as I'm sure you've figured out, would come to be known as the X - blade. The Gate…would later become known as Kingdom Hearts."

Gillick stiffened at the name. "Kingdom…Hearts?" His mind flashed back to the story the sewing woman had told him, the morning before he'd discovered he was the Knight. There was a kingdom in that story, too…was this 'Kingdom Hearts' the same?

"Have you heard of it?" Senn asked, sounding surprised.

Gillick shook his head, trying to force away the thoughts and return his attention to the matter at hand. "No. But what does this have to do with the Knight?"

Senn exhaled slowly, narrowing his downcast eyes slightly. "The power of Kingdom Hearts not only gave power to Keybladers, but magic infected the land. Some people became able to use magic without the Keyblade."

"Is _that_ the Knight's origin?" Gillick asked, frustration burning inside him.

Senn continued to ignore him. "The Keybladers, over time, split into five different factions." Gillick's eyes widened, but this time, he didn't interrupt. "Two, you already know of: the Light and Dark Armies. Originally, they weren't 'armies', per say; but, as you well know, darkness and light are opposites, and opposites tend to fight. You've seen what's become of them."

"Why did they start fighting?" Gillick interrupted, despite himself. "What the hell was the point?"

Senn shrugged slightly. "I believe even they have forgotten." He hesitated, then continued, "The other three factions are combinations of darkness and light: Twilight, which leaned more towards darkness; Dawn, which leaned more towards light; and Nothing, which was in perfect balance between the two. When the fighting between the Light and Dark started, these three balanced groups drew out of the battle, hiding away in remote places. Since the Light and Dark, the two dominant factions, had ended up destroying all their information on the X - blade and Kingdom Hearts - inadvertently or on purpose - they soon forgot about the existence of both. The three remaining, however, continued to hold onto these secrets. It is the last faction that I was once a part of.

"I remember very clearly how excited I was as a young Keyblader; how anxious I was to prove my worth. However, like so many before me, the Keyblade's power overwhelmed me."

"_You _were corrupted by the Keyblade?" Gillick asked, startled.

Senn looked down. "I…was overcome with greed. I had tasted power with my Keyblade, but I wished for more. And, apparently, I wasn't the only one.

"The Keybladers of Nothing wished to reconstruct the X - blade. They hoped that, by doing so, they'd be able to access the power of Kingdom Hearts. I was chosen to help assist them in recreating the X - blade. I, however, had no intention of sharing it's power."

Senn closed his eyes briefly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everyone who belonged to Nothing…we thought we were so much better than everyone else. We believed, because our hearts were perfectly balanced between Light and Darkness, we would be able to create the X - blade without assistance from others. What fools we were."

He paused to take a deep breath. "The Keybladers of Nothing had chosen here, in this cave, to perform the deed. As I said, the magic from Kingdom Hearts infected the land." He gestured towards the glowing pools of water. "This is one such place that was affected. The water has special properties. We believed it would help us."

"Help you?" Gillick repeated.

"In case anything went wrong," Senn explained. "At any rate, we had everything planned out; we would come to the cave, summon our Keyblades, and, using the magic in the water to amplify the weapons' powers, would use our balanced hearts to re-create the X - blade. My intention, at that time, was to take the X - blade and run the moment it was summoned. However, all our plans…were soon ruined."

"Let me guess," Gillick commented dryly, "you couldn't summon the X - blade?"

"That is…half true," Senn responded. Gillick raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment, allowing the man to continue. "We may have had hearts that were balanced between Light and Darkness, but the X - blade requires two separate hearts, one of which is pure light, and one of which is pure darkness. Thus, we only managed to summon a broken version of the X - blade." _Broken? _Gillick wondered, narrowing his amber eyes slightly.

Senn leveled his stare at the boy. "Whole, the X - blade is a powerful force…but one that has some measure of control. Broken, however, the weapon is unstable. It, after all, does have access to all the power of Kingdom Hearts."

_And the Armies want it._ Gillick felt a sudden jolt of horror run through him.

**But **the Keyblader of Nothing wasn't done with his tale. "The other members of my group, desperate both to keep the X - blade in this realm and to prevent it from destroying everything with its uncontrolled power, attempted to use the magic around them to seal the weapon." Senn saw skeptical questions flicker in Gillick's eyes, but chose not to answer them yet. "I, however, was desperate for something else." He closed his eyes briefly, the memory coming back to him…

"_Senn, what are you doing?"_

_He barely glanced at the Keyblader who called his name. "The X - blade is mine!"_

"_Senn-" But Senn was deaf to his companion's frantic cries as he raced forward._

"I raced towards the weapon," he said, slowly opening his eyes. "I kept to my initial plan - to grab the weapon and run. However, the fact that the X - blade was broken made my task far more dangerous."

_The closer he got to the weapon, the more intensely he felt the barely restrained power. For a few moments, he faltered, unsure if it was a good idea to keep going. Then he steeled his resolve. _I _will _take the X - blade, _he promised himself silently._

_He could see the runes of the seal beginning to form; he had to hurry. He slammed the panel on his shoulder, his armor forming over him from that small spot. Better protected, he forced his way forward._

"I summoned my armor, hoping to use it to protect myself against the weapon's power. When I made it to the X - blade, the runes to seal it were already mostly formed, though they were doing little to restrain its power. In desperation, I reached out and grabbed the hilt of the X - blade, jerking it away."

"_Senn, you fool!"_

"_I am not the fool!" Senn retorted as he stumbled backwards, X - blade in hand._

_Then the X - blade began to glow. He didn't even have time to be shocked before the power started to go haywire. It ripped through the cave, tearing apart the waters and pummeling the Keybladers. It's current 'wielder', however, was getting the brunt of the force. His mind, though, was not on the pain that was assaulting him; it was on the fact that this eruption of power might mean he was loosing the X - blade. Desperate, he pulled the weapon close to his chest, hugging it with both hands. The runes of the seal, in correspondence to this change, shifted so that they encompassed the armor on his body, as well._

_He suddenly felt power flood him, and his heart felt as if it were beating faster, stronger, than it should. Pain seared his eyes, his body; he felt almost rooted to the ground. He wanted to scream, but couldn't; wanted to beg for help, for mercy, but was unable to. He just managed to dispel the armor, allowing it to fall off him. _

_Then he knew no more._

"The X - blade malfunctioned," Senn said, his voice slightly choked at the memory. Taking a moment to regain his composure, he continued, "I tried to keep it there…by pressing it close to me. The seal, which hadn't completely formed at the time, attached itself to my armor." He saw Gillick's eyes widen in realization. "The power flooded the armor, and knocked me into unconsciousness. When I came to, the other Keybladers were dead, and my armor and the X - blade were gone; mysteriously, there was a sword with runes etched into the blade lying beside me."

Gillick finished it for him. "And that's how the Knight came into being."

_**The **__Knight…has half the X - blade's power._ The thought was an astonishing one; Gillick was having trouble comprehending it. While his mind struggled to wrap itself around this new information, he asked, "What happened, then? Were you the Knight, too, at one point?"

"Well," Senn said sadly, "my immediate reaction was horror…and guilt. So many now lay dead…because of my greed." He shook his head, lowering it. "Before I'd realized it, I'd run far from the cave, strange sword in hand. When I'd finally managed to calm down a bit, I tried examining the sword. However, at the time, I could come up with no good answer as to why it existed.

"I traveled a lot after that, much like you did. I was trying, I think, to find a way to get rid of my guilt. I often…came upon towns that had been destroyed by some unknown force, and tried to help, believing that I was simply doing a good deed. However, I would later discover that everything had been my fault."

He paused, then continued, "I bet you're wondering now how I realized this?"

"Obviously," Gillick replied, his voice dry.

"While I was…in the form of the Knight," Senn said slowly, "I ran into an old comrade of mine from my days as a Keyblader of Nothingness. The sight of someone important to you, as I'm sure you discovered, can briefly wake up the actual person within the Knight's consciousness, allowing them to fight against it."

"But what _is _the Knight's consciousness?" Gillick asked, feeling frustrated at his confusion.

"I'd assumed you'd figured it out," Senn sighed. "You see, the Knight's power is, obviously, half the power of the X - blade. As such, it has access to a large portion of Kingdom Hearts power. Normally, such power would overwhelm a person and kill them. However, the seal - which appears on the upper left arm as a glowing patch when in the Knight's form - protects the person from this, allowing the power to slowly trickle into the sword, instead of flooding the person…or the weapon, for that matter. Normally, this would work in a cycle, the power constantly being fed from Kingdom Hearts, to the person - through the sword of course - and back to Kingdom Hearts. However, if something blocks that cycle, then the power is stopped inside the person. Over the span of a few days to a couple of weeks, this power will build up. Eventually, the power is too great, and it takes over, forcing the wielder into a transformation to rid itself of the excess energy. Normally, it is unable to do this while a person is aware; thus, it takes over in their sleep, making the process akin to sleepwalking. The person, therefore, is basically a mindless being of destruction. As a sort of defense mechanism, the wielder is drawn into a haze, preventing them from experiencing the pain of the power. The side affect of this is that they retain no memory of the event."

Gillick wanted to ask questions, but Senn jumped in ahead of him.

"At any rate, the sight of my friend also brought on…rather intense memories of what had happened to the Keybladers when I'd tried to steal the X - blade. The powerful memories were enough to make me fully aware. As I'm sure you've realized, this is extremely painful, as the power is flowing constantly through the Knight's body."

"Painful trying to even remember it afterwards," Gillick muttered.

Senn gave him a wry smile. "Indeed. But once truly, fully awakened as the Knight - or having some similar circumstance - one cannot forget again. I was horrified by what I'd done as this monster, and fell into despair, believing I would never be able to redeem myself. I wished to be rid of the blade, but feared what would happen if I left it unguarded.

"Then I ran into a boy…one I remembered from one of my attacks as the Knight. A young boy who'd stood up to me, despite being terrified, to protect his younger brother and his Master." Gillick's eyes widened, and Senn continued, "What you said earlier, about a hallucination…it was real. I found you, when you were the Knight…when you saw me, in your dream-like haze, you must've seen me as you once had; as the Knight who'd threatened you." _And that's why he looked different than what everyone else saw, _Gillick realized.

"I had been impressed with you courage before," Senn commented, interrupting the boy's thoughts, "and soon realized you were armor-less. Hoping I'd found someone more worthy than I was, I gave the blade to you." Senn's shoulders sank. "However, it appears nothing has changed."

"Well, how do I control it, then?" Gillick spat. He clenched his fists. "You gave this damn weapon to me…when you couldn't even use it?" He looked down, trying to control the furious pain. "I don't want to be that monster!"

"I'll admit…I'm not completely sure what causes the block," Senn said quietly, drawing the boy's attention back to him. "I believe that it is being unable to accept something about yourself." He met the other's intense gaze. "There is but one way to find out for sure."

Gillick narrowed his eyes. "And what's that?"

"You must go through your Awakening."

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter sixty - two…which was much longer than I anticipated. Anyways, feel free to review!<em>


	63. Tarnished Silver

_Here's chapter sixty - three. Thank you Draconet, caitlinkeitorin, and Eddie Camp for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - Three: Tarnished Silver**

Riun blinked innocent blue eyes up at the Silver Fang warrior. "Do you know where Mala is?"

The man sighed, running a hand through his hair. "No, kid, I don't know where your friend is."

"Ok…" Riun's shoulders slumped, and he turned and headed further into the Silver Fang camp. He'd been asking all morning, but no one seemed to know where the thief was. _Gillick's the Knight…and Mala's missing…_ The thoughts made him lonelier than ever.

It was still a shock to him that Gillick - the person he admired more than anyone - was the Knight. He knew he should be sad, scared, mad, even, but instead he simply felt…cold. He didn't know what to think anymore…

"What's got you so upset?" a voice asked.

Riun looked up at the sound. He immediately shied away when he saw the owner. "N-nothing…" he stuttered, trying to hurry away.

Allia raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "You still don't like me, do you? If I'm remembering correctly, _I _was the one caught on fire, not you."

Riun squirmed uncomfortably. "But…" He didn't know how to explain; every time he saw the assassin, he saw himself setting her on fire. He didn't like he because of that, but he didn't know why.

Allia sighed, shaking her head. "You are a strange kid." As she left, Riun felt something, however small it was: relief.

**Trevor **looked out across the field to the destroyed camp. "That's it, then?" he asked the Keyblader beside him. There was little doubt in his mind that it was, but he wanted to check.

The Keyblader nodded. "Yes, sir; that's the Silver Fang's camp."

Trevor reached slowly for the panel on his shoulder, but hesitated before touching it. _Is this…really the right thing to do?_ No one was even really sure what the X - blade did; they just knew it had a massive amount of power. So what would happen if it was created? Or worse, what if the Dark Army _stole _it?

"Sir? Is everything alright?"

The question returned Trevor to reality. _What am I thinking? _he wondered, horrified. _How can I question Master Tollun like that?_ "Yes. Everything's fine," he said, trying to convince himself as much as the others. He slammed the panel on his shoulder, his armor flashing onto his body. Standing, he commanded, "Let's go."

**Silver **walked through the wreckage of the camp, watching her warriors as they struggled to rebuild it, and occasionally joining in and letting the mind - numbing work clear her head. However, more often than not, she was thinking.

She turned her green eyes briefly towards the sky. _Strange to think that Gillick was the Knight._ The fact still came as somewhat as a shock, though she knew it didn't affect her nearly as much as it did Mala and Riun. She didn't know the boy personally, after all. She leveled her gaze at the horizon. _Well, I hope things work out._ She'd never been fond of the word 'hope'; it never got anyone anywhere unless acted upon. And yet, now it was all she could do: hope and pray.

With her eyes on the horizon, she spotted the shapes first. She narrowed her eyes briefly before they widened in alarm. "Silver Fang! To arms!" The warriors around her stopped what they were doing to look at her in surprise, then followed her gaze. They immediately rushed away to get their weapons.

Silver jerked both swords out of their scabbards and raced towards the approaching mob, calling out her warning as she passed other Silver Fang warriors. As she drew closer to the group, she realized what they were. _Keybladers, _she thought, eyes narrowing. _How'd they find us?_ Her thoughts immediately flashed to Gillick. But a quiet voice in the back of her mind asked, _Why would he tell the Keybladers? He just destroyed your camp as the Knight._

It was a question she had no answer to, and no time to figure out one.

She watched as a fire ball flew towards her. She ducked under it, still running, and slammed one sword into the armored stomach of an oncoming Keyblader. _That armor could be a problem, _she thought, green eyes slitted. Her lack of armor would make her more vulnerable, and theirs would protect them. She also knew that, unfortunately, their armor was charmed; it wouldn't slow down their movements.

But that didn't mean that she couldn't be faster.

She whipped both blades out, holding them parallel to each other. One clanged off the Keyblade, the other off an armored shoulder. She quickly brought her blades back, swiping them across the direction they had come. She felt a flash of satisfaction as the shoulder plate wobbled.

Silver heard movement behind her, and acted on instinct. She drew one sword behind her and lifted it to block, the other swinging simultaneously at the Keyblader she'd formerly been attacking. A burst of fire exploded against her sword, heating up the metal of the blade, though her weapon kept the magical projectile from hitting her. To give herself more room to fight, she dropped low and spun in a circle, twin swords out to force her enemies back. When she returned to her feet she jumped up into the air, drawing her swords above her head and holding them close to each other. She brought them down on top of the Keyblader she'd attacked first. He wasn't quite quick enough to block the blow, and her weapons clanged against his helmet, breaking the glass of his helmet. She drew both weapons sharply to either side and kicked off his chest, flipping over backwards as the Keyblader stumbled backwards. She let her feet slam into the second Keyblader, pushing off of him and spinning in midair to hit him with one of her weapons, bringing to other sword behind her in case she needed to block a surprise blow. She returned to the ground and crouched low, swords held at the ready.

By now, most of the Silver Fang warriors had responded, and were fighting as hard as they could against the Keybladers. Magic, arrows, spears, maces, swords, daggers, axes, hammers; an assortment of weapons riddled the battlefield that was once the Silver Fang's camp. Silver felt a sense of irony at that. _Twice within the span of a few days…_

Then more Keybladers converged on her, and she was forced to return her mind to the task at hand.

**Riun **looked at the Keybladers with wide, scared eyes. _W-we're being attacked?_ He pulled in close to himself, hiding in the shadow of a broken tent. His previous inhibitions about fighting against Keybladers returned, stronger than ever.

He didn't want to fight the Keybladers.

He wanted Mala back. He wanted Gillick back.

He wanted to go home.

Finally, after almost a full day of feeling nothing, he felt his heart begin to break. He brought his legs up close to him and leaned his forehead against them, tears running down his face and quiet, hiccupping sobs escaping him. This wasn't what he thought and adventure was going to be like; he thought it'd be exciting, and fun, and he'd get to be a hero. But he'd watched people get hurt and die; he'd witness the attack of a monster, which had turned out to be his hero; he'd nearly died. "I don't want to do this anymore," he whispered, words hardly audible between his sobs. "I want to go home."

A voice broke into his despair. "What the hell are you doing?" He heard a cry of agony nearby and lifted his head abruptly. He was just in time to watch a Keyblader fall, dead, before him. Standing where the Keyblader once had was Allia. Riun looked at the body, horrified, as Allia snapped, "You can't just sit there crying! All that'll do is get you killed." He felt a jolt of fear at that, but instead of moving out, he pulled himself tighter. Allia sighed in frustration. "Listen, I can't read your mind; I don't know what's going through that head of yours. But now's not the time to be weeping, hun."

Someone appeared behind her, and she quickly whipped around, slashing at her with a knife. The Keyblader let out a cry of pain and alarm as the knife pierced the glass of her visor. Allia pulled it out quickly, a grin on her face as she slipped away and disappeared into the shadows.

_I…I have to…_ Riun was still feeling shocked and sick as he stared at the convulsing woman before him. He turned his eyes away, looking at his hands. "Fire," he whispered, watching as a small ball appeared in the palms of his hands. He stared at it absently for several moments, blue eyes sad.

Then he watched as another Keyblader drew close to him. Instinctively, he lifted his hands with a small cry, the ball of fire flying from them towards the Keyblader. It hit him on the chest, heating up the armor but doing little to slow him down. Desperate, he called upon another spell. "Fira!" The larger fireball hit the Keyblader square on, this one slowing him down some more.

Then what Allia had been saying really sank in. He couldn't stay there anymore; it wasn't safe to stay still. He ran from his hiding place, out into the battlefield.

**Trevor **slashed at a Silver Fang warrior, coating his blade in fire. He watched as she fell beneath his weapon, then quickly swung his sword around to block another warrior's magic. _This is ridiculous, _he thought, narrowing his eyes behind his visor. _Where in the world would the information be?_ His best guess was with their leader; however, so far, he hadn't even caught a glimpse of her.

He felt his eyes begin to burn, and panic flashed through him. _No…I can't let myself use that power!_ He clutched at his head, though he knew that wouldn't help keep the power of the Light at bay. His breathing started to come in quick gasps, and he silently berated himself. _Calm down. Don't let it make you too strong…_

Something ran into his leg, and he acted on instinct, swinging his Keyblade downwards. He heard a yelp before fire exploded around his weapon and touched his armor. Startled, he looked down and saw a boy, not far from where he was standing. The boy looked slightly familiar, but he couldn't place where he might have seen him before…

He heard something behind him, and reacted on instinct. He dragged his Keyblade around, the weapon blocking a strike from a long, deadly looking dagger. Its owner was a hooded woman; he could just make out a half smile, half snarl in the shadowed features of her face. "Do you normally attack children?" she taunted as she jumped backwards, landing in the dirt. This woman, however, he recognized. _That's the assassin we sent after Gillick!_

"I'll fight anyone who's a threat to the Light Army," he responded, standing taller. Silently, though, he wondered if that was still true. _No! It has to be!_ He shook his head, brandishing his Keyblade. "And what about you?" he snapped. "Weren't you supposed to be…hunting down Gillick?" The words caught in his throat, but he remained standing tall.

"I changed my mind," she retorted. She tilted her head to one side. "You're a general, yes?" She snorted. "They obviously don't have high standards in the Light Army."

Trevor tightened his grip on the hilt of his Keyblade. "Shut up," he hissed quietly, then lunged forward.

**Riun **looked on in surprise. That was the second time Allia had saved him. _But…she's not nice…_ he thought, watching as she ducked beneath the Keyblader's weapon and shifted to the side, cutting upwards to try and slip her blade between two pieces of the armor. The Keyblader shifted slightly, causing the plates of metal to fold tightly together to prevent entry.

Riun's mind, however, changed the scene into one where he saw Allia, attacking his friends again, just before she went into flames with his magic. Fear pulsed through him, and he stumbled backwards. He looked on in horror at Allia's burning body, listening to her scream. He covered his ears. _N-no…_

Someone hit him, and he fell forward into the dirt. Whoever had collided with him obviously paid him no notice and kept going. He lifted his head, looking helplessly at the assassin who was trying her best to find a weakness in the Keyblade general's armor. Watching her, and remembering how she'd saved him, he realized something.

He wasn't afraid of Allia.

_But then why do I feel scared around her?_ He couldn't come up with an answer, and with the rush of battle, there wasn't time. He knew that, no matter his feelings, there was something he had to do…for the sake of his friends.

He needed to become a hero. He needed to _fight._ And lifting his hands, inhaling deeply, he shouted, "Fira!"

**Trevor **hardly heard the commanded spell over the roar of battle. He whipped around, but wasn't quick enough this time to block the spell. The fireball slammed into him, causing him to stumble backwards. Though his armor protected him from the magic, the lingering heat on the metal was causing him to sweat.

Apparently, the woman he'd been fighting noticed this. "Keep firing, Riun!" she called, an odd note of glee in her voice. The boy, Riun, nodded quickly and shouted out another, "Fire!"

_Damn it._ "Blizzara!" he countered, the ice flying from the tip of his Keyblade to collide with the fire, the two cancelling each other out. Fearing what the assassin was doing behind him, he called out, "Aeroga!" A wall of wind erupted around him.

Then a voice hissed near his hidden ear, "Nice try."

Sudden panic ceased him at the close proximity of the voice, and his hold on the power he'd kept bottle up inside him slipped. Light flashed around him in waves, forcing the woman away and clearing an area around him.

For a few seconds he stood still, allowing the power to fill him. Where there was once panic, there was now calm. He looked at the assassin with burning silver eyes. He could do it. He could defeat her, and anyone else who stood in his way. He would easily be able to find this 'Silver' woman and take the information on the X - blade.

_No!_ He gasped at the idea. Too much power…he didn't want to be stronger than Master Tollun…what if he was? What then? Fear pulsed through him at the thought. He couldn't _lead._ He couldn't be abandoned. He grasped at his head with both hands, Keyblade disappearing. He groaned slightly, he's knees shaking as he tried to control the Light that pulsed through him, his eyes constantly flickering between blue and a bright, unearthly shade of silver.

**Allia **looked at the Keyblader in confusion. What was going on? She could feel intense Light radiating from him; it was what had forced her away. But was it hurting him, too?

Then she shrugged. Far be it from her to question a gift when it was given. She could kill him now, she knew, since he was distracted. However, she figured that, in a game of war, it was better to have bargaining chips. What better than a general. Grinning, she called to Riun, "Do it now! Hit him with some Fira spells!"

The boy looked uncomfortable at that. "But that's unfair…"

"We don't have time to play fair," Allia retorted. "Just fire!" The adrenaline that rushed through her created an odd sort of glee. "And I do mean _fire_."

Riun looked at her, wide - eyed, then slowly lifted his hands and pointed them towards the Keyblader. "Fira!" he shouted, the blazing ball flying to strike the armor. Again and again he shot the spell, causing the armor on the Keyblader to heat up. The general cried out in agony, though Allia wasn't sure whether it was from the intense heat or the Light he seemed to be fighting.

Regardless, it was time to end this. She slipped a knife from her cloak, and tore the cloth off itself. Wrapping the fabric around a hand, she hurried towards the general, using it to tear his helmet off his head without burning her hand. Allowing the protective item to fall to the ground, she ran the tip of the small knife across his cheek, drawing a ling of blood. She leaned in close to the boy's ear, whispering, "Oh, don't worry; I don't want you dead yet. The poison on this little blade will just keep you paralyzed for a while. Quite useful, don't you think." She flashed a toothy smile as the Keyblader groaned. "By the way, you're a bit younger than I expected."

**Silver **skidded backwards, her chest heaving. Her wounds stung, blood still flowing from them. _How are we so outnumbered? _she wondered, looking across the battlefield and noticing how few Silver Fang seemed to be fighting compared to the Keybladers. Then a grim thought struck her. _Or maybe we're just outmatched._

The idea, thought plausible, wasn't pleasant. She didn't want to dwell on it, especially not in the middle of the fight.

She brought her swords up, blocking a strike from a Keyblader by catching her weapon between the two crossed blades. With fatigue weighing her limbs, she knew she didn't have the strength to push the swords away, and so instead slid to the side and swiped a sword out at the Keyblader's leg. Apparently, the armor had already been weakened; it broke at her strike, allowing her the draw a shallow red line across the flesh. She hit the woman with the flat of a blade, hoping to force her backwards. Instinct kicked in, and she spun in a circle with her swords out, hoping to keep herself from being converged on again.

It appeared, though, that her efforts were failing. The Keybladers had found their target, and they weren't letting up. A sense of impending doom settled over her. There were too many; she couldn't fight them all. Resignation filled her heart. _Well, _she thought, _if I'm going to die…I might was well die fighting._

She kicked out a foot with a cry, forcing a Keyblade back, then spun in the air, swords spinning with her to cut any who got to close. She blocked a weapon with the flat of one blade, then made a wide, low sweep with the other.

She felt metal cut through her back, and she let out a cry of pain. Crouching to try and make a smaller target, she made two quick jabs at the legs of a Keyblader, then rolled over herself and jabbed the tip of one sword into the ground. She used the hilt to pull herself up and flip over, kicking a Keyblader hard in the chest and stabbing her remaining sword through the glass visor. She pulled it out and jumped back, retrieving her second sword.

Silver felt another blade cut open her cheek to the bone. She let out a hiss of pain as blood sprayed from the wound, and lashed out immediately at her attacker. Her swords found a weak spot in the armor, piercing it and stabbing into the chest of her attacker. She swung back quickly, second sword blocking a blow.

Then a blade cut across the back of her knee, severing the tendons. She gasped as her leg gave out on her, and she practically fell to the ground, her sword jerked free of the Keyblader's chest in the process. The body fell on top of her, and she used it as a shield while she tried to right herself.

Silver could feel her mother's book pressed tightly against her chest, carefully hidden. _I wonder…will they search my body when I die?_ Most likely. They would find the book, and all would be lost. Her green eyes narrowed and her heart hardened. _No…I will not let them have it!_ She brought a sword towards her chest, placing the point so that she could feel it pressing slightly against the book. Silently, she steeled herself. _I will die…and take the information with me._ She prepared to stab her weapon forward.

However, it was a Keyblade that pierced her chest first…and on the wrong side. She gasped as pain filled her. The Keyblade was pulled out with a squelching sound, and blood burbled in her mouth. Breathing was suddenly very painful. There was a part of her that knew she had to stab her sword, had to _now_, but she couldn't convince her limbs to cooperate. Her hearing was fading in and out, good one moment, dim the next. Spots flickered before her eyes, and she was unable to blind them away. Only one coherent thought crossed her mind: _Everyone…I'm sorry…_

Then she fell to the ground, her lifeless body stained red with her own blood.

**Trevor **twitched, trying to move, but the assassin had spoken true; the poison had paralyzed him. He was helpless.

Then he heard voices raised in triumph. "We have the information! We have the information!" He felt a flash of relief. _Good. Now someone will get me out of this mess, and we can get back to the Light Army._

He felt a jolt of surprise as the Keybladers raced away, past him, leaving him behind. _Wait! _he wanted to call after them. What were they doing? How could they leave the general behind? Why…wasn't anyone _helping him_?

All these question rose to his mind…however, he was unable to ask a single one of them.

* * *

><p><em>That's the end of chapter sixty - three. So…how you liking these longer chapters? Feel free to tell me what you think!<em>


	64. Awakening

_Here's chapter sixty - four. Thank you caitlinkeitorin and scrawlx1012 for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - Four: Awakening**

Gillick's eyes opened slightly and shifted to where Senn stood a little ways off. "Nothing's happening," he commented irritably.

"You need to be patient," Senn retorted, "with yourself and with me. I'm not…entirely sure how an Awakening works."

Gillick sighed. "Figures." Despite his growing frustration, he obediently slid his eyelids back down.

After a few moments, he heard Senn say, "Well, the Awakening used to be a part of the Mark of Mastery exam. There must be some way we can set it off."

Gillick's amber eyes flashed back open as he whipped around to glare at the older man. "We don't exactly have an eternity here!" he snapped.

Senn didn't seem phased by his outburst. Instead, he summoned his Keyblade, saying, "Perhaps using the water will help?"

"How the hell should I know?" Gillick growled, throwing his hands in the air in agitation.

Senn made no response, instead dipping the tip of his Keyblade into the magic infused water. Gillick, watching him curiously, saw when he motioned for him to draw closer. "Try standing in the water," he directed. The boy sighed, but obeyed without any other form of protest. _This is ridiculous, _he thought as he neared the glowing pool. _This is never going to work._ Slowly, he stepped into the glowing pool. Instantly he felt magic rippled around his legs and seep through the fabric of his pants into his skin. Startled, he tried to draw back, but found Senn's hand pressed against his back, forcing him forward. Eyes narrowed in slight agitation, the black haired boy continued to wade out until Senn called, "That's good!"

"And I need to be in the middle of the pool for this to work?" Gillick called back in exasperation. At this point the water was lapping at his waist.

"The center is where the water comes the highest," Senn called. "Theoretically, that's where you'd have access to the most magic." Gillick rolled his eyes, but was unwilling to protest. He could feel the power in the water around him, and knew that, perhaps, Senn's strange plan to initiate an Awakening would work. He clenched his fists. _I have to control the power of the Knight._ Determination surged through his heart. _Whatever it takes._

"Gillick…what's going on?"

At Senn's voice, the boy looked at the water around him. It was glowing with a greater intensity, the magic within it almost physical as it touched him. He looked back at the Keyblader in surprise. The man's eyes widened and he breathed out in realization, "Your heart. The magic…is responding to your heart."

Gillick's amber eyes widened a fraction before narrowing, and he turned his gaze to the swirling waters. On his back, he could feel the sword - the Knight - pulsing. He drew the blade out and saw with a start that the runes etched onto its surface were glowing. _The seal was made from the water, _he remembered. Wondering if perhaps the sword could help him into the Awakening, he lowered it point first into the water.

All at once it was like the water had caught on fire. Startled, Gillick fell backwards, loosing his grip on his sword in the same instant. He thought he heard Senn call his name in alarm.

Then he hit the water.

He expected to hit the rocky bottom, but instead, he kept falling, his body angling so that he fell head first. He spun through the liquid, trying to right himself. _What's going on? _he wondered, eyes wide. _How'd this pool get so deep? Is it…the magic?_

It took him several moments to realize that he could breathe…moreover, he could see something coming up ahead. He narrowed his eyes at it. _What's that?_ Upon drawing closer, he realized it was a circular, stained glass platform. _What in the world…?_ His body seemed to right itself on its own, twisting so that he landed on his feet. As he crouched there, the water disappeared, leaving open air; he felt a brief flash of surprise that he wasn't wet. He slowly stood, looking around in surprise.

It is time you Awakened.

Gillick stiffened at the voice. It held words, but no sound or tone. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice reverberating through the air. "What's going on?"

As if in answer, a sound echoed behind him. He whipped around in time to see three pedestals rising out of the ground, each bearing a different item: a sword, a shield, and a staff. The soundless voice returned, cautioning him:

Only your true power can fight your fears; only your heart can tame them. Choose wisely.

Gillick snorted, looking up. _Well, I guess I'm not supposed to really understand what's going on, _he thought dryly. He leveled his gaze back at the weapons. _I need to master the power of the Knight._ He clenched his fists, then walked steadily towards the sword. As he wrapped his hand around the hilt, the soundless voice pulsed again through his mind:

The power of the warrior; invincible courage; a sword of terrible destruction. Is this the path you seek?

Gillick narrowed his amber eyes. "The sword is my weapon," he said by way of reply, lifting it from where it hovered over the pedestal.

The ground rocked beneath him almost instantly. He staggered, trying to regain his balance. He heard an odd sound; one that resembled that of breaking glass. Startled, he looked down, and saw cracks running along the stained glass beneath his feet. Reacting on instinct, he began running, though there was no point; the entire surface shattered in an instant, sending him plummeting through thin air.

**Gillick's **eyes snapped open. He sat up abruptly, looking around with wide amber eyes. He felt the stained glass surface beneath him with one tentative hand. _What the hell? Didn't this break?_ On closer inspection, though, he realized that the glass under him was a different color than the first had been, and there were no pedestals; instead, the staff and shield floated in the air behind a faintly glowing barrier. The sword was sticking point first into the ground beside him. He pushed himself off the ground, gripping the sword by its hilt and pulling it free. He frowned, feeling a flash of agitation that there didn't seem to be anything left for him to do. "Now what?" he asked, frustrated. "It can't be that easy to beat the Knight."

Are you ready to face your fears?

Gillick stiffened as the soundless voice resounded around him, but didn't have long to be surprised. The air at the other end of the stained glass platform began to contort, an odd whirring noise rising up from it. From it emerged an all - too - familiar armored figure, broken black wings slowly unfolding from where they were held close to its body. _The Knight._ Leveling his stare at the monster - at _his _monster - he settled into a ready stance. He'd been given a brief rundown on what an Awakening was from Senn; he knew that it involved things that normally wouldn't happen in the physical world, because of that fact that it took place within a person's heart. _This is my test, then; I have to defeat the Knight. I have to defeat myself._

The Knight let out a screech before lunging at him. Gillick lifted his sword to block the blow, and was startled to discover how much power was behind the attack. It sent him flying backwards, and he landed hard on his back, the force of the impact causing him to bounce back further. Groaning, he began to pick himself back up.

The Knight was on him before he'd had time to recover. He instantly fell and rolled to the side, avoiding the clawed hand that tried to crush him from above. He rolled back to his feet, lunging forward with a war cry. He felt a jolt of surprise, however, as the Knight lifted one clawed hand and easily caught the blade of the sword. He struggled to free the weapon, but to no avail; his monster seemed far stronger than he himself was.

His eyes widened as he saw a fireball form in the palm of the Knight's free hand. _Damn it!_ He released the sword and dived to the side just as the Fira spell flew past him. He skidded across the floor for a few moments before coming to a stop, quickly rolling over on his back. The Knight was staring at the sword it still gripped by the blade. Then it tossed it nonchalantly to the side, allowing to clatter across the stained glass. _I have to get back to that sword._ Gillick scrambled to his feet, making a lunge for the weapon.

He stumbled backwards when the Knight suddenly appeared in front of him, black wings spread wide and imposing. A clawed hand lunged for his chest, which he ducked under. Taking advantage of the fact that the monster was hovering above the ground, he fell into a slide beneath it. The momentum of it carried him straight to the sword, which he grabbed without hesitation before rolling back to his feet.

The moment his amber eyes lifted, however, he was hit by a powerful burst of lightning. He cried out in pain as the magic raced through him, his body held rigid by the electricity. When it finally ceased, he fell to one knee, panting.

Then he felt something hit him hard in the stomach - his fried brain realized after a moment that it was the Knight's foot - which sent him flying backwards until he collided with the barrier. He caught himself, managing to stay upright as the Knight lunged for him again. He brought up his sword quickly, using it to block the Knight's blow. As he struggled against his powerful opponent, his eyes narrowed in frustration. _This is crazy, _he thought, trying to force the monster back. _It's so strong…how the hell can I beat it?_

Only your true power can fight your fears; only your heart can tame them.

The black haired boy felt a flash of frustration. _I know that already!_ he silently snapped out the soundless voice. _How the hell does that help me?_

Only your true power can fight your fears.

At the repetition of the first part of the phrase, Gillick looked at the sword in his hands. When the voice had said that first, this - along with the shield and staff behind him - had appeared. He'd chosen the sword, the power of a warrior; had it not been the right choice. He quickly shook the thought off. _It had to be! I've always been a warrior!_ Fighting to survive, a blade in his hand as he faced the unknown…that was what _defined_ him.

Then an image of Mala and Riun flashed through his mind. A small voice inside his heart whispered, _Is that really still who you are?_ Images of countless people flashed through his mind; people who had neither a name nor face, but all seemed to be crying out for help. What surprised him was the fact…that he wanted to answer them. _Have I…changed?_ He supposed, thinking back, that he wasn't the same person he'd been before he'd met Mala and Riun, but he'd known that; he'd knew that he wanted to protect them. But if the sword wasn't the weapon to do it, then what-

His eyes widened in realization. _The shield._ He glanced backwards to where the item was floating. Was _that_ his true power, then?

With his thoughts distracting him, the pressure Gillick was putting on the sword to keep the Knight at bay weakened. The creature quickly took advantage of this, breaking through his defenses and stabbing him in the shoulder with the tips of his clawed fingers. Gillick let out a cry of surprise and pain. His eyes only slits, he started to lift the sword to retaliate, then stopped. His eyes closed briefly. _No,_ he thought, lowering the weapon as the Knight's clawed hand was pulled out of his shoulder, blood dripping from the tips of its fingers. His eyes opened slowly and he looked up at the monster, everything in him screaming at him to attack. However, he had more important things on his mind. _I will do whatever it takes to control this power…and to protect them._ He watched as the Knight drew back to strike him again. _I am not a warrior._ The claw shot forward. _I am a guardian!_

Light flared around the sword as Gillick jerked his arm up. The Knight's clawed hand collided with the wide, metal surface of a shield. The creature hissed angrily before slashing again at the protective barrier. However, as before, its attack failed to break through. Gillick smirked slightly. "Let's try this again." He stepped forward, pushing back with the shield. The Knight growled, bracing itself and flapping its black wings a few times as it struggled against the shield the blocked its path. The black haired boy took a step forward, managing to push the Knight back slightly.

It was enough to allow him time to dash to the side, away from the Knight's slashing claws. He spun around, lifting the shield as a fireball flew his way. The magic collided with the protective surface and dissipated instantly. Gillick snorted. _Great, I can block its attacks._ He thought. _But how the hell am I going to beat it with a shield?_ He could try bash it, he supposed. Resigning himself to the idea of a slow fight, he lunged forward, shield out to collide with the Knight's chest. It forced the creature back a little ways, but did no real damage. Gillick gritted his teeth in agitation. _This is getting me nowhere._ He knew what his 'true power' was now; shouldn't he be able to fight this thing? He blocked a Blizzaga spell, looking contemplatively at the edges of the shield. _Maybe if I try hitting it with those?_

The Knight's claws rang off the metal of the shield. He quickly swiped his 'weapon' sideways, forcing the clawed hands of the Knight away. Then he lunged his arm forward with a war cry, the edge of his shield aimed at the monster's chest.

A thrill of shock pulsed through him as darkness surrounded the shield. When the defensive item collided with the Knight's chest, the darkness flew off it, forcing the monster to go flying backwards with a roar of fury. "What the hell…was that?" Gillick cried in surprise. He hadn't been trying to use magic.

Only your heart can tame them.

Gillick stiffened as the soundless voice repeated the end of the phrase. His heart…but how could…?

Then his blood ran cold as he understood. The darkness the had formed around the shield…that had come from his heart. After all, Viril _had _infused it with darkness when he'd defected to the Dark Army. But that dark power could never be used without using a Keyblade…the physical manifestation of a person's heart.

He baulked at the idea. This wasn't the same as switching a sword for a shield. _No! I can't use the Keyblade!_ He felt claws rip at his already - wounded shoulder, and he hissed through gritted teeth, slamming the edge of the shield into the Knight's helmeted head to force it away. He saw darkness begin to form around it, and quickly backpedaled, his mind reeling. Looking at his monster with wide amber eyes, he desperately sought an alternate solution. _There has to be some other way! I can't use the Keyblade! I won't!_

But no matter how many ideas he thought of, he had a sinking feeling in his heart; there was no other way.

He lifted his shield to block the another of the Knight's blows. 'Face your fears', the voice had said. 'Tame them.' He narrowed his eyes. _I am not afraid._ He felt his feet slipping, and immediately started pushing back with more force. The two struggled against each other, at a stand still. Gillick looked at the Knight from behind the edge of his shield. An image of him flickered in place of the Knight. _I am not afraid._

He felt his heart throb, a small voice inside him whispering that he was lying to himself. But he didn't want to be afraid.

_You are more a coward than anyone for not admitting that you are afraid._

Gillick closed his eyes tightly, annoyed that the memory of Senn's rant on courage had returned at that moment. But the words continued to ring through his head, refusing to leave him alone. He opened his eyes slowly, looking the Knight square on as the two struggled for dominance. Shaking, he swallowed his pride, and admitted silently, _I…am afraid._ The Knight snarled, eyes glowing behind the tinted visor of its helmet. _I'm afraid…of myself._

This was what the voice had meant by 'facing his fears.' The one thing that he feared, more than any other, was himself and the power he'd been given. He didn't trust himself not to get corrupted by the Keyblade, and now, he didn't trust himself to handle to power of the Knight. The power caused so much pain - _he _caused so much pain - and he'd wanted nothing to do with it.

It was so ironic he almost laughed. _I'm as bad as Mala._ She'd been right when she'd called him a hypocrite; he'd been running away for as long as he could remember. From the Armies, from the Keyblade, from himself. Now here, in his Awakening, faced with the monster he'd become, he could no longer run away. He was forced to face his fears.

"No," he growled aloud, amber eyes blazing as he glared at the Knight. "There is something I fear…more than you!" _I will not let this monster out again!_ He gathered his courage, his body cold. He didn't want to; as much as he hated to admit it, he was terrified. He could feel the incessant pounding of his heart, the sound drowning out the snarling of the monster before him. But if he wanted to tame this power, then he had to. He had to face his greatest fear.

He took a deep breath, pushing back against the Knight. "I am…a Keyblader!"

Mist exploded around the shield, morphing the weapon into something else. The Knight, with less resistance, fell forward…

…onto the waiting edge of a Keyblade.

The weapon easily pierced the Knight's armor, the tip emerging on the other side. Gillick didn't flinch, didn't move, his hands gripping the hilt of his Keyblade so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The Knight's head lifted slowly, an odd, quiet sound reverberating from within its helmet. Then it slowly dissipated, the particles that came from it drifting towards Gillick and entering his body, leaving him holding a Keyblade in empty air. The runes that had once been on his sword slowly etched themselves onto his left arm, glowing briefly before the power receded. The soundless voice echoed around him, offering only these words:

You have Awakened at last.

**Gillick's **eyes snapped open to see Senn leaning over him. Startled, he jerked upright. "What the hell were you doing?" he spat at the older Keyblader.

"You fell into the pool," Senn said, gesturing calmly to the glowing water. "You were unconscious when I dragged you out; I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Unconscious…?" That experience had all been in his _mind,_ then? _No, _he corrected himself silently. _It was in my heart._

Senn's eyes narrowed at him. "Your shoulder plates…" When the man trailed off, Gillick looked at the armor. Instead of the normal, plain gray, they were a startling silver, gold rising up along the edges. The sight reminded him of what had happened after the Knight had disappeared, and he quickly checked his arm. Just like in his Awakening, the runes were etched into the skin.

Senn's eyes widened at the sight. "You…tamed it, then?"

"Yeah," Gillick responded with a nod, not removing his eyes from the marks. "I found out that my fear was holding me back."

He could practically feel Senn's amusement. "I see."

"Shut up," Gillick growled at him, frustrated at his smug tone.

There were several moments of silence before Senn said, "I must warn you before you leave…don't undo the seal."

Gillick snorted. _Do you really think I'm dumb enough to do that? _he wanted to ask. Instead, however, he queried, "Why? What will happen?"

"The power will go rampant," Senn replied. "With the X - blade broken, there won't be stability; its unrestrained power, along with the power of Kingdom Hearts, could potentially tear apart the fabric of the universe. And once the seal is broken, I'm not sure it can be fixed."

Gillick's mind, however, was stuck on the sentence before. _Shit._ The Knight's power was half of the X - blade's power; if the Armies tried to summon the X - blade, they'd only get half. Which would mean…

"I'm leaving." He began to walk away, then paused abruptly. "…Thanks." Then he slammed the armor on his left shoulder. Instantly the armor of the Knight surrounded him, the runes on his arm glowing to life. He raced out of the tunnel, his mind set on one thing: _We have to keep the Armies from summoning the X - blade._

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><p><em>There's the end of chapter sixty - four. Reviews would be awesome, please!<em>


	65. Invasion

_Here's chapter sixty - five. Thank you imademyfangirl and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - Five: Invasion**

Xuren had a wicked grin on his face as he surveyed the city from his vantage point high atop a cliff. "Well," he commented, yellow eyes glinting, "I wanted to get things moving." What better way than to attack Xeiruwe, one of the Light Army's chief cities?

Of course, he wasn't acting alone. Glancing back, he saw the other Keybladers who'd come along with him; Keybladers who longed for battle and blood. "Is it time for us to attack, sir?" one asked, taking a small step forward.

Xuren returned his gaze to the city below him, then summoned his Keyblade. "Yes," he said, "it's time."

**Mala **continued forward slowly, feeling drawn with fatigue. So far, she'd found no sign of Gillick, but she refused to give up. _Gillick…where did you go?_

Her eyes fell on a shadow up ahead. The dark spot became clearer as she drew near, and she felt a flash of relief upon realizing it was a city. _Maybe someone there knows something._ Hopeful, she pushed forward with renewed vigor, hoping to reach her destination before very long.

She looked around with wide eyes as she entered the city. _It's…so big!_ She been in plenty of smaller towns and villages before, but nothing as grand as this. Her instincts as a thief kicked in instantly, and she slipped towards the shadows, wanting to stay out of view.

Then she reminded herself that hiding wasn't going to help her find Gillick. Her shoulders sank as she looked out at the bustling streets. _Is guess I have to go out…_ Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself out from the shadows and into the city.

Mala's blue eyes flickered around nervously. Her hand twitched, and she had to resist the urge to reach up for her bow and arrows. _Gillick, are you somewhere in here?_

"Excuse me, miss."

She jumped at the voice, whipping around quickly to face the owner. "Yes?" she asked, eyes stretched wide.

The man blinked his own eyes in surprise. "You looked lost. Is everything alright?"

_No, everything is _not _alright._ But her problems had nothing to do with her at the moment. "I'm looking for someone," she said. "He has black hair tied in a long ponytail, amber eyes, a sword, and probably looked angry about something." In hindsight, she wondered if he'd still have the sword, but decided not to dwell too much on the idea.

The man frowned. "No, sorry. Haven't seen someone like that."

"Oh."

He must've heard the note of disappointment in her voice because he added, "Don't worry, though; it's a big city. I'm sure you can find him somewhere."

"Hopefully," she replied, not feeling overly optimistic. She thanked the man quickly before continuing on her way.

Several more inquiries later found Mala sitting on a doorstep, feeling defeated. _I have…no idea where he went to…_ She was beginning to realize the enormity of her task, and how unlikely it was that she'd be able to find him again. She leaned back, looking up at the sky. _But I found him so many times before, _she thought, images flickering behind her eyes. _Me and Riun. And we weren't even trying. Why is it that now, when I want to find you, when I _need _to find you, that I can't?_

Her depressed ponderings were broken by the sound of screaming. Startled, she jumped to her feet, hand flying for her bow. She stood frozen in place as she watched the area just ahead of her. Far down the street a commotion was brewing. Slowly Mala pulled the bow off her back, reaching up to pull an arrow from her quiver and stringing it to the weapon.

Then burst of darkness flew past her, hitting a building just behind her. She felt a jolt of surprise, her eyes stretching wide.

Then the Keybladers came.

They dashed around her, Keyblades slashing at everything they could reach, darkness spreading from the weapons. Mala acted on instinct, running and taken cover in an alleyway. She pressed her back firmly against the wall, shaking and breathing hard. _What is the Dark Army doing here?_ She supposed she didn't know which side this city was aligned with, but…

She heard screams, and shut her eyes tightly. _What am I doing? I can't just…stand here…_ Gathering her courage and steeling herself, she whipped out of the alley and released her arrow in the same instant.

It hit a Keyblader in the shoulder. The man let out a cry of surprised pain and skidded to a halt before her. Mala narrowed her eyes. This man looked familiar…where had she seen him before?

The man's amber eyes flickered as he looked at the arrow imbedded in his shoulder, then trained his gaze on the girl before him. A wicked grin crossed his face. "I remember you," he commented. "You shot me before, when I was going to kill that boy."

All at once everything clicked into place. "Xuren," she breathed, eyes growing wide.

The man's grin widened as he jerked the arrow free, snapping the shaft between his fingers. "I don't think I caught your name last time," he said, taking a step forward, "but I don't think I care, either."

Mala instinctively took a step back, whipping out another arrow and stringing it to her bow, pointing the weapon at the man's chest. He simply looked at the projectile and laughed. "What are you planning to do?" he asked, eyes glinting wildly. "Kill me?" Mala didn't move, despite the chaos that rage around her. Xuren laughed, the sound wild and insane. "You don't have the guts, do you?"

Taking a deep breath, she released the arrow, allowing it to fly along its intended path. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, not wanted to see the outcome. Instead of a pained gasp and the sound of the tip sinking into flesh, however, she heard the sound of metal hitting off of metal. She snapped her eyes open, expecting to see the Keyblader's weapon held in front of him. However, the dark blade was still at his side, and he had a curious look on his face. "Interesting…" he commented.

"What…?" How was he still alive?

His grin returned when he noticed her surprise, and he lifted the shall that hung over his shoulders. Beneath she could see the metal of armor. "You couldn't kill me aiming there," he commented, "even if you tried."

Mala flinched backwards, then reached up and grabbed another arrow from her quiver. She narrowed her blue eyes, trying to focus her mind. "I'm going to stop you," she told him, stringing the arrow.

"Really?" the dark man asked. "I'd like to see you try."

Mala responded by releasing an arrow at his other shoulder. Her hands were shaking, however, and she missed. Cursing herself silently - she prided herself on her aim - she withdrew another arrow quickly and shot again. This time, however, the Keyblader was expecting the attack, and blocked it with his weapon. Feeling a flash of frustration and fear, she withdrew three arrows, stringing them simultaneously and letting them fly towards the Keyblader. He didn't attempt to dodge or block; instead, he simply sent out a wave of darkness that deflected them. Mala dived to the ground, the attack grazing her back as it passed above her.

She rolled over and reached up to grab another arrow, feeling a jolt of alarm as she realized her supply was growing low. _But what can I do against him? _she wondered; he was still standing across from her, a wicked grin on his face. Despair and fear washed over her. _I'm a thief, not a warrior._

The answer hit her like a rock. _Then fight like a thief._ It was so simple, so obvious, that she wondered why she hadn't thought of it before. She didn't have to charge head on into battle like her companions did; that wasn't the way she fought. She fought from the shadows and played dirty. She'd never liked it before, knowing that it wasn't the path a Keyblader would take. But she wasn't a Keyblader, and knew now she was never going to be one.

She was a thief, and she was going to use all the skills in her possession to her advantage.

Mala ripped an arrow from her quiver, stringing it quickly to her bow. Then she ran into the nearby alley. She heard Xuren's manic laughter behind her. "What? Are you trying to run away girlie?" _Not this time, _Mala replied silently. She glanced behind her, and noticed that the dark Keyblader wasn't following. _He isn't concerned with me, _she realized quickly. Though the thought was a blow to her already - low self esteem, at least it meant that she could use sneak attacks against her unsuspecting enemies.

She looked up the side of the buildings around her. Both were taller than she was used to, but neither seemed too tall for her to climb. Working off years of experience, she looked for her first hold. The smaller of the two buildings had a window just above her head. She kicked off the wall, using it for support as she jumped for the window ledge. Her arms shook as she attempted to haul herself up, her legs kicking at the side to help push her onto the ledge. Once she'd managed to get her feet under her, she crouched, looking up for her next grip. There was another window a fair bit higher up; a small indent in the surface of the rock in the side of the building would help her get there.

Hearing the sounds of chaos from beyond her hiding spot, she knew she didn't have more time to waste. She returned her arrow to her quiver and bow to her back, then jumped up with as much force as she could muster. She barely managed to grip the indent, and quickly kicked with her feet, the action helping to push her up. She lunged for the window, grabbing the edge with one hand and swinging for a few moments before managing to grab it with her other. She kicked at the wall, scrambling up onto the window ledge, from where it was easy to climb onto the roof.

On top of the building, she removed her bow and quiver, quickly counting her arrows. _Five._ She had to make every shot count.

She put the quiver back on, pulling out an arrow and stringing it to her bow as she did so. Slowly, she crept to the edge of the building, peering down into the streets. She looked at the Keybladers who were hurrying around, their magic flying everywhere as their weapons cut at the innocent people. She swallowed hard. _When I was stealing to get by, I never aimed to kill, _she thought. _Scare or hurt, but never kill._ And now she was going to have to.

She didn't know whether this was the bravest thing she'd ever done, or the most cowardly.

Mala pulled her arrow back, aiming quickly at the head of an unsuspecting Keyblader. She released the arrow, only watching long enough to make sure it stayed on course. When she knew there was no hope for escape for the Keyblader, she fell back, pressing herself flat against the roof. She heard raised cries, and stifled a yelp of surprised fear as magic hit the side of the building. She rolled over onto her stomach, crawling across the roof of the building. When she got to the back she stood, jumping quickly to the roof of the next.

She looked back and paled when she saw two Keybladers coming after her. _I guess I'm a threat now._ She decided she preferred not being thought much of. She ran across the roof of the building, drawing another arrow from her quiver and stringing it quickly. As she jumped for the next building she spun around in mid air, releasing her projectile. It hit one Keyblader between the eyes as the thief landed and slid across the next roof.

Mala swallowed back the bile that was rising in her throat and turned around, hurrying away from the remaining Keyblader.

She spun and jumped down the side of the building, digging out an arrow and jamming the tip into the side of the building to try and slow her decent. The shaft broke between her fingers, but a crate beneath her broke her fall, collapsing under her weight. She looked at the shattered arrow as she quickly regained her footing and began weaving through the alleyways. _Two._ She now only had two good arrows left; that and the stub in her hands.

She listened to the sounds of pursuit behind her and swallowed hard. _I'm still being followed…?_ She didn't think she'd merited _that _much attention. Then again, she was the only one who'd really been fighting back…

The thought was somewhat ironic, but not amusing her to fearful mind.

Mala dropped the broken tip of her arrow into her quiver and drew another, stringing it as she ran. She swerved abruptly into a side passage, pressing herself tightly into the shadows by the wall. When the Keyblader flashed past her she spun to the side and released her arrow. The flying weapon imbedded itself into the man's neck. He fell dead immediately, his body collapsing in an odd, impossible looking way.

Mala immediately raised a hand to cover her mouth, falling to her knees as she attempted not to throw up. She remained in that position for several moments, shaking and heaving with wide blue eyes. When she felt like she could continue, she slowly stood on unsteady legs and began to leave. Common sense told her she should take the arrow out of the dead Keyblader's neck; however, upon seeing the man's empty, staring eyes, she found she was unable to, and hurried away from the scene.

She looped back around and pressed herself up against a wall, shaking in the shadows as she listened to the madness in the streets. _One._ She only had one arrow left. She tried to force her mind to function correctly. What could she do with one arrow?

She glanced out into the streets, watching as people flew by her hiding place. Then her eyes fell upon a crate, and a light flashed in her mind. She knew immediately what she could do with one arrow; she could use the trick she'd so often used back in her home town. She touched the pouch at her waist, the weight of the flint still present inside.

_Will it work, though, without oil?_ Mala froze at the thought. How would she get the steel tip of her weapon to stay aflame without the substance. She looked at the weapon, and another realization came to her; _The shaft was made of wood._ She swallowed hard, then gave a decisive nod. She quickly struck of a fire with her flint, then placed the shaft near her arrow tip onto the flames. The wood lit quickly, and she just as quickly strung the arrow, aimed, and released, silently praying that the fire would eat up the wood of her arrow before it reached its target.

The arrow reached its target, causing the crate to do more than explode into flames; it completely exploded. By luck of misfortune, the crate seemed to have been carrying an explosive material. Mala fell to the ground as the blast reached her, the force of it causing her to go flying down the alley. She lay there, stunned, for several moments, trying to catch her breath. When she was able to she scrambled up, wincing as she felt the new scrapes on her body stretch, and hurried towards the mouth of the alley.

She had to turn away at the sight that greeted her. Bodies littered the area where the crate had been, stretching out in a wide radius around it. Flammable objects nearby were still burning, the hungry flames reaching for anything they could.

"Well, who would've thought?"

Mala whipped around at the voice. Xuren was standing amid the carnage, a grin on his face. The flames around him cast his face in a lurid glow, making Mala flinch backwards. "You're actually being really annoying," he commented, stalking forwards, his Keyblade held tightly at his side.

Mala quickly reached for an arrow, only to belatedly remember she didn't have any left. Xuren laughed. "What are you going to shoot me with? Air?" The thief girl ripped the quiver off her back, thrusting her hand to the bottom to pull out the broken arrow tip. She attempted to shoot this from her bow, but it flew crooked, and not very far, at that. Silently, she cursed herself for not trying to use it as a dagger.

Xuren lifted his Keyblade, pointing it at her. She froze, staring at the tip. "Time's up," the man told her, his voice high pitched with glee.

Then a shrill, inhuman cry sounded around them, causing them to stiffen.

Xuren looked up slowly, an odd expression on his face. "It's back…"

Mala knew what she'd see without having to look. _It looks like…we've found each other again, Gillick._ Slowly, she turned her blue eyes to the sky. Above them hovered the shadowed, broad - winged figure of the Knight.

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><p><em>That's the end of chapter sixty - five. Reviews would be awesome, please!<em>


	66. The Burned City

_Here's chapter sixty - six. Thank you caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

_So, I'm going on a trip across the U.S. My computer's going with me this time, so I _should _be able to update my stories on a relatively normal schedule. If a chapter's later than normal, however…that's why._

**Chapter Sixty - Six: The Burned City**

Gillick had hurried out of the cavern without thinking much on where he was going. Now, after the initial start of panic had worn off, he found himself standing in what appeared to be a large city. He'd allowed the Knight's armor to return to his shoulder plates for several reasons. The main reason, he tried to convince himself, was because he didn't wish to draw attention to himself by walking around in armor - the Knight's armor, no less. That would only cause more problems than he wanted to deal with.

The underlying reason, however, kept coming up in flashes. Sometimes, it was an image of someone's body being ripped apart; others, it was of magic flying into buildings. During Senn's explanation and his Awakening, Gillick had been so focused on taming the Knight that the memories that had plagued him were forced to the back of his mind. Now, though, they were coming back, bursting unexpectedly into his mind at random moments. The memories…made he very reluctant to use the Knight's power.

He shook his head, closing his eyes briefly. _Focus! Try to figure out what to do, idiot._ The best idea so far seemed to be to find Silver and make sure nothing happened to her; after all, the Armies _knew _that she had the information they wanted. Perhaps destroying all evidence of the information would be easier, but he'd probably have to fight for that one…

His eyes snapped open as he collided with another person. "Hey, watch where you're going!" a voice protested.

Gillick snorted and rolled his eyes. "You could watch too, genius," he commented dryly.

"Me? You were the idiot with his eyes closed!" the man protested, eyes flashing.

Growing annoyed, Gillick whipped around and snapped, "So what's your excuse? Your eyes were open!"

The man glared back, about to snap back another acidic comment when an alarmed cry cut him off. Several heads whipped around at the sound. Not far off, dark figures were streaming into the city, destruction appearing wherever they walked. Gillick reached up to his shoulder, intending to activate the Knight's armor, then hesitated. _I can take them without it._ He summoned his Keyblade, an odd feeling in his heart as the weapon settled in his hand. It was odd to be wielding a Keyblade again.

Then the approaching shapes were upon them, revealing their identity; Keybladers.

Gillick whipped his own Keyblade up to catch another's. The woman's eyes stretched wide at the sight. He snorted at her reaction, then jerked his Keyblade rapidly up, forcing the woman's weapon upwards, as well. He lifted a foot and kicked her in the chest, sending her sprawling backwards.

His brief attack caught the attention of several other Keybladers. "Well, didn't expect much of a fight," one commented.

"Who are you?" another added. "I've never really bothered to keep track of the Light Army scum."

Gillick sneered. "I'm not with the Light Army!" To emphasize his point, he slashed his Keyblade in a wide arc in front of him, sending out a wave of darkness. The Keybladers, caught off guard, were sent flying. He didn't intend to give them a chance to recover; he lunged forward, spearing the first one he came to with his weapon, jerking it out quickly.

He managed to whip around in time to block the strike of another Keyblader. The two struggled against each other for a few moments, eyes set in glares across their weapons. "Of course," she muttered, "I should've guess from the eyes."

"No shit," Gillick commented, calling up an Aero spell. The wind forced his opponent back, giving him time to summon darkness around him and lunge towards another Keyblader. The dark blast, however, was blocked by a Keyblade.

"I don't understand!" the Keyblader who blocked him commented, eyebrows furrowed. "Why would a Dark Army Keyblader attack a member of their own group?" Gillick opened his mouth to reply, but the man's eyes widened and he blurted, "Did Viril find out about this?"

That caught him off guard. "Your leader didn't plan this?"

Something struck him across the back, and he stumbled forward, gritting his teeth against a cry. "If you didn't know that…then who _are _you?" a voice commented.

He was about to respond _I'm armor-less, you idiot_ until he remembered; when he'd 'tamed' the Knight, the plates on his shoulders had changed to store what was once his sword. _I'm no longer armor-less._ An odd feeling arose inside him at the thought.

He was forced to turn his attention back to the fight as a Blizzard spell collided with his side. "Answer the question!" a Keyblader barked.

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed to slits. "None of your business!" he snapped, whipping his Keyblade up and firing a ball of darkness from the tip. It collided with the Keyblader, sending him flying. The boy ducked beneath a strike; he allowed fire to coat his blade as he spun around in a low circle, his flaming weapon slashing at the Keybladers' legs. He returned to his feet, jumping up and lifting his Keyblade above his head and bringing it down powerfully towards another Keyblader. The man ducked away, though his arm was still caught by the teeth of the blade.

The black haired Keyblader quickly realized how challenging it was going to be trying to fight off multiple opponents, even with the restoration of his magic through his use of the Keyblade. His fingers twitched, itching to reach up and slam the panel on his shoulder that would release the armor of the Knight. Then an image of someone being blasted with his magic flashed through his mind and he decided against it. _No. Just because I tamed it doesn't mean I have to use it._

Gillick lifted his Keyblade to parry a blow, and kicked out a leg at the sound of someone approaching from behind. He winced as he felt something explode against his back, and recognized the feeling as a strike of darkness. He ducked into a roll to dodge away and returned to his feet, swinging his Keyblade up in a wide arc as he did so. The weapon pushed back two oncoming Keybladers and cut off a Blizzard spell. He dashed forward, feinting to the right before swinging around to the left and cutting through one of the Keybladers' sides. He saw the oncoming Firaga spell and dropped instantly to the ground. The explosion sounded behind him at the same moment that the Keyblader appeared in front of him, Keyblade raised high above his head for a powerful downward strike. Gillick rolled quickly to the side, avoiding the strike and quickly returning to his feet. He caught sight of one of the others lunging for him and quickly whipped his weapon around to block two strikes. He brought the Keyblade around in a wide arc, trying to block the other incoming attacks. He wasn't entirely successful; he grimaced as the teeth of the weapons cut into his shoulders and arms.

Gillick jumped back, brandishing his weapon with both his hands. His eye twitched. _This'd go faster if you'd use the power of the Knight, _a voice hissed inside him. He gritted his teeth. He knew that, but… _I can do this without that damned power._

He stiffened when he realized that was the exact same thing he'd said about the Keyblade for so long.

Something slashed through his shoulder, causing him to release an involuntary cry. "You shouldn't get distracted in battle!" one of the Keybladers taunted, her eyes glittering mockingly.

Gillick immediately retaliated by swinging his Keyblade towards her head. She leaned backwards, but he still managed to hit her cheek, leaving a long bloody line along the side of her face. "And you shouldn't stop to gloat!" he retorted before calling, "Curaga!" The healing magic flowed over him, the wounds he'd already received knitting themselves back together.

The woman whose cheek he'd cut leaped for him. He let himself fall to the ground, causing her to stumble when her attack wasn't met with resistance. He swiped her legs out from under her, causing her to begin to fall.

An idea flashed into his mind, and he lunged up and caught her as she was half way to the ground. He whipped her around, positioning her body in front of him as a sort of human shield, gripping her arms with his to make sure she didn't try and attack him. The other Keybladers stared a few moments before laughing. "You think that'll stop us?" one asked, lifting his Keyblade and shooting and powerful burst of darkness.

Gillick hit the panel on the woman's shoulder to activate her armor before pushing her forward. She collided with the magical attack, her scream mingling with the explosion. The black haired boy lunged through the smoke, drawing his Keyblade back and swinging powerfully as he emerged. "I wasn't worried about stopping you!" he snapped, the teeth of his blade biting into the fragile skin of the Keyblader's exposed throat.

The returned Keyblader landed on one foot and spun around to face his remaining opponent. "Two down," he commented, amber eyes flashing.

The man cocked his head to one side. "One to go," he finished dryly, slamming the panel on his shoulder. Gillick lunged forward immediately, trying to land an attack before the armor materialized. However, he wasn't quick enough, and his weapon clanged off of metal.

An unexpected jolt flashed through, causing pain to rush through his veins. He cried out, trying to withstand the electrical attack. When the pain faded, he whipped his head around wildly, searching for the source of the attack. However, he was forced to return his attention to his former opponent as he launched an attack. The two blades clashed together in a flurry of sparks. As the two warriors struggled against each other, Gillick's eyes flicked around wildly, trying to pinpoint the Keyblader's new ally. _Damn it…where the hell are they?_

He was again reminded that he could use the power of the Knight to help him out. However, he still felt reluctant to use it. _But what if your fear of it causes the Knight to gain control again?_ He gritted his teeth, wishing he could ignore the thought.

"There are two people fighting?" a voice commented, seemingly from nowhere. "Who would've imagined there would've been so much resistance?"

"It _is _the Light Army's capitol," the Keyblader who was fighting against Gillick retorted dryly. Gillick began pushing back as the Keyblader called, "Is the other person a Keyblader, too?"

"No," the voice replied, "some girl with a bunch of arrows." Gillick stiffened. _Girl…arrows…_ Then he shook his head. _It may not be; there are plenty of other people who use that weapon._ "Master Xuren's taking care of her, though."

_Damn it._ He didn't know if it was her - _Why the hell would she be here?_ - but he knew he couldn't take the chance. He looked at the runes on his arm, then to the Keyblader in front of him. He snorted, a grim smile on his face. "What's so funny?" the Keyblader asked suspiciously.

_Fine, Senn; I'll admit I'm afraid _again. _But it's not going to take over me like the Keyblade did._ He knew he'd tamed the Knight's power; he'd seen that when he'd activated the armor in Senn's cave. He could keep from doing what he'd done in the past as the Knight; it was pointless to be afraid now. He narrowed his amber eyes to slits. "Let's do this," he hissed aloud, reaching up a hand and slamming the panel on his shoulder.

The runes of the seal blazed into life, the brilliant blue glow obscuring them from view as the Knight's armor settled over him. He felt power explode from the seal, running through his body like a river and energizing him. It made him feel alive, immensely powerful, despite its restraint; he knew all it would take was a touch, though, and more power would flow through him.

This, then, was the power that had corrupted Senn. He was tempted - beyond anything he'd ever imagined - to allow himself to fall into that.

The Keyblader stumbled backwards, startled, as his eyes flashed behind the tinted visor. "Wh-what are you?"

Gillick leveled his gaze at him, suddenly remembering the reason he'd activated the armor in the first place. It was as if all the energy surging beneath his skin was suddenly focused, directed towards one place. "Sorry, but I don't have time for you." He lifted his hand, sending a massive burst of fire at the Keyblader. He didn't stop to see the result of the attack; instead, he summoned his black wings, allowing them to slide out of his armor and stretch out behind him. He beat them with a powerful down stroke, lifting himself into the sky where he'd get a better view, without being inhibited by attacking Keybladers.

He soared over the city, head whipping back and forth as he searched for a familiar form. _Where the hell are you, Xuren?_ Even if the person he was attacking wasn't Mala, he wanted that man _dead_. He snorted, a few of his memories from his time as the Knight flashing through his mind. _Should've killed him when I had the chance._

Finally, his eyes alighted upon two figures; one with a bow and auburn hair, another with a Keyblade and menacing aura. The beast known as the power of the Knight surged beneath him, rippling just beneath the skin. It was from the power itself that the raw, inhuman cry came, causing the Keyblader's head to jerk up in surprise. The girl, however, looked up more slowly, just as he was coming down.

His feet touched ground, wings sliding back into his armor. The Knight's power pulsed, the energy almost feeling as if it were alive, struggling to surface. The memories of the Knight ran through his mind, and he found himself struggling in his heart not to return to that. He looked to Mala, eyes flickering behind his visor. The sight of her eyes - sad, concerned, but for once not frightened - helped him to focus. He snorted, then whipped around, Keyblade sending a burst of darkness towards Xuren. The man's eyes widened as he was sent flying backwards. "What the hell are you doing here, Mala?" he asked, not taking his eyes off his temporarily - stunned opponent.

"Gillick?" Mala exclaimed, her voice high - pitched with surprise.

"No," the boy replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "it's the other Knight; the one who saves puppies and makes rainbows."

He glanced back to see she was shaking her head, a small smile edging its way onto her lips. When she looked back up at him, there were tears at the corners of her eyes, surprising him. "It really is you this time…"

"Gillick?" The incredulous cry jerked his attention back to Xuren. The dark Keyblader was struggling back to his feet, yellow eyes stretched wide in disbelief. "_You're _the Knight?"

The beast of the power growled inside him as he returned his attention back to the man. "Surprise." He forced himself to focus, and glanced back towards Mala. "Are you just going to stand there?" She blinked at him in surprise, then gestured to her empty quiver. "I'm not blind!" he snapped. "But the Keybladers aren't going to stop attacking just because Xuren's dead!"

The blue depths of her eyes flickered with understanding. "You want me to get everyone out? Who do you think I am, God?"

"No," Gillick snapped, "but if you spread the word, then it'll get around!" More quietly, he added, "You're not _completely _helpless, Mala."

She gave a faint snort, looking both touched and offended, then gave a quick nod and hurried off.

He whipped his head back around as Xuren rushed at him, lifting his Keyblade to block the strike. "You're the Knight, _and _you're using your Keyblade?"

"What's the matter, Xuren?" he sneered, the Knight adding the edge of a growl to his voice. "Are you scared?"

Xuren's eyes narrowed for a few moments, then his face split into a wicked grin and he began laughing. "Scared?" He pushed off the boy, landing several feet backwards. "I was. But now that I know who you are…" His eyes glittered wildly as he surrounding himself with darkness, launching himself forward and crying, "Not anymore!"

Gillick ducked away, allowing the power of the Knight to stretch towards his fingertips. He let magic fly, the dark attack pushing through the Keyblader's and hitting him hard. "I'm still the Knight, idiot!" he snapped. The power uncoiled inside him, like a snake preparing to strike. He lunged forward with an inhuman cry, darkness coating his Keyblade as he slashed it towards the dark man. Xuren quickly reached up his hand and slammed the panel that would activate his armor, but was too slow in his reaction time; the attack hit him square on, breaking through armor and leaving a long, bloody wound along his chest.

He stood over his opponent for several moments, chest rising and falling slowly as he glared down at him; his enemy, his prey, the man who's once crazed eyes now shown with fear. The beast of the Knight reared its head inside him; it would be easy, _so easy_ to destroy this man. In fact, why not just destroy all Keybladers? They were worthless, anyways; they were corrupt, evil; he could kill them all. He had half the X-blade's power, after all-

_Stop._ The ordered thought put a hold on his power - obsessed ideas. _Do you even know what you're saying? Do that, and you're trying to play God! You have the power of the Guardian; remember it, damn it!_

He struggled, trying to resist the temptations of the Knight's power. While he was battling internally, Xuren took the opportunity to cry, "Curaga!" The healing spell fixed his wound, the flesh tying itself back together. Gillick dragged himself back to reality in time for Xuren's Keyblade to slam into his chest, causing him to fly backwards. "What are you doing, _Knight_?" the dark Keyblader taunted.

Gillick took a steadying breath. _Remember what it is you're trying to do, _he told himself, thinking of the relief in Mala's eyes. He stood slowly. _Don't give in to temptation._ The snarling of the Knight quieted slightly, receding to background noise as his grip tightened around his Keyblade. He allowed the restraint around the power of the Knight to tighten; it'll make the fight against Xuren harder, but he knew it was too dangerous to fight with the Knight's full power.

By this time, a fireball was flying towards him. He ducked away quickly, summoning darkness around his Keyblade and sending it flying back at his opponent. Xuren dodged quickly, lunging forward to slash his blade at him. Gillick parried several blows with his Keyblade, then brought his weapon flying towards the dark Keyblader's head. The man easily spun away, launching a Thundaga spell at him. He instinctively tried to block with his Keyblader; however, the metal of the weapon simply proved to be the perfect lightning rod. Gillick jerked from the pain of the magical attack, then let out a half - human cry as Xuren's Keyblade impaled his left arm, cutting until it reached bone. "You're still the Knight?" the Keyblader barked, half laughing. "You aren't the Knight! You're just a shadow!"

Gillick dropped his Keyblade and grabbed the blade of Xuren's, struggling to draw it out of his arm. Xuren, grinning, allowed it; he quickly managed to shoot a blast of darkness from the tip. The Keyblade Knight didn't have time to react, and was sent flying backwards with a cry.

Gillick struggled back to his feet as Xuren sent another volley of darkness towards him. The amber eyed boy recalled his Keyblade, sending a wave of darkness to counteract it. The two attacks collided, causing a small explosion. Xuren's grinning face and glowing eyes appeared out of the smoke. Gillick, however, was ready for this; he sent a Firaga spell towards him. Xuren countered with Blizzaga, the force of the two spells causing them to skid apart. They exchanged magic for several moments, dodging attacks and sending back retaliations.

Eventually, Xuren's spells ran out, and he had to wait while they recharged.

Gillick, however, still had power at his disposal. After all, the power of the Knight was that of half the X - blade. But to use it, he'd have to take off his restraints. _Can I do it?_ Now was the time to strike; Xuren wouldn't be able to heal himself without his magic. But would he be able to resist the temptation of the Knight's power.

An image of Mala and Riun flashed into his mind. His hand tightened around his Keyblade. _I'm done being afraid of myself._ As Xuren lunged forward, he summoned his courage and lifted his Keyblade, his voice crying out, "FLARE!"

Dark fire exploded around the dark Keyblader, stopping him in his tracks. The man looked around frantically at his flaming prison, searching for an escape. He reached frantically for the panel that would activate his armor, but the flames of the spell were faster. They exploded up around him, burning his skin. A cry of pain emerged from his lips; the last thing that could be seen of him were his frantic, glowing yellow eyes.

Then he was gone, and the dark fire subsided. The wind stirred slightly, blowing away the ashes and causing a hollow ringing noise to come up from the armor that remained. Xuren, his old enemy from the Dark Army, was now dead.

Gillick stared for a few moments. He thought he'd feel some sort of accomplishment at the task; however, he felt nothing. _Grim way to die, _he thought dully, releasing his Keyblade and lifting a hand to heal the wound on his arm with a quick spell. He allowed to power of the Knight to recede slightly, then headed out, intending to help Mala evacuate everyone.

He could still feel the power that the Knight held; there was still the temptation he felt to give in to it. He knew, however, that the power was not inherently evil; it was his choice what to do with it. A strange, unfamiliar sense of care settled over him.

The power of the Knight was something to fear; he'd be a fool not to be afraid of it himself. He knew that, even though he'd no longer have to worry about becoming the Knight when he didn't want to, he'd always have to struggle against the temptation not to misuse his newfound power. _You never warned me about this, Senn, _he thought, bitterness rising inside him. For a few moments, he hated the old Keyblader with every fiber of his being; he never would've agreed to this if he'd known.

But he supposed he should've guessed; after all, this power _did _have half of the X-blade's. That didn't stop his anger, and he attacked a nearby building out of frustration.

In his heart, though, he knew he wouldn't be willing to turn away; this was the best weapon they had against the Keybladers.

So he wouldn't fight the urge to be afraid of the Knight; instead, he'd try and let the fear help him keep it under control.

**Mala **looked out at the city from where she stood. Her shoulders slumped. "So much damage," she murmured, looking at the wreckage as the sun began to go down. A large number of citizens stood huddled on the mountainside behind her. Gillick had been right; once she'd started spreading around the word, people had quickly evacuated. Unfortunately, though, they had been unable to save the city; the Dark Army Keybladers were of a single mind, and were determined to fulfill their task.

"The city looks like it's burning."

She glanced sideways. Gillick stood not far off, still covered in the armor of the Knight. "Yeah," she agreed slowly, noting that the sunset _did _make the city look aflame. "So," she said after a few moments, "you're using your Keyblade. And you're not…the Knight anymore?"

"Yes," he said quietly, "but I'm still the Knight."

She looked at him curiously. "But you controlled it."

"That doesn't change what I am, idiot," Gillick growled, the frustrated anger in his voice sounding comfortingly familiar. Then his tone dropped as he added, "And I almost didn't."

There were footfalls behind them, and a hesitant voice asked, "Excuse me, but…who are you?"

"Does it matter?" Gillick asked, hardly glancing backwards.

Mala rolled her eyes and answered for him. "He's Gillick Nogard." She hesitated, then slowly said, "And I'm…a warrior of the Silver Fang." Gillick's head whipped around quickly; she was sure his eyes were flashing with surprise behind his visor.

The man who'd approached them offered a hesitant smile. "Gillick Nogard…and Silver Fang warrior," he said slowly, "we of Xeiruwe will always remember your courage in fighting the darkness."

"Um…thanks?" Mala said, not at all feeling up to the standard this man was giving her.

His eyes turned to the ground. "The Burned City…" Said eyes grew shadowed. "It seems an apt name for what remains of our home."

The former residents of Xeiruwe slowly began to leave. As they filed away, Gillick asked, "You know how to get back to the Silver Fang?"

Mala started at the question. "Um…I think so…"

"Good."

The thief girl started in surprise as he picked her up bridal style. "Wh-what are you doing?" she squeaked, cheeks flushing red.

"Carrying you, obviously," came the dry response, black wings sliding out from his back.

"I can walk!" she protested.

"And I can fly," Gillick retorted, launching them both into the air.

"Gillick!"

* * *

><p><em>That'd be the end of chapter sixty - six. Reviews would be great, please?<em>


	67. Beginning of the End

_Here's chapter sixty - seven. Thank you caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - Seven: Beginning of the End**

Tollun's eyes glittered as he read through the journal that was brought to him. "I see…" he commented, silver eyes thoughtful. "So to create the X - blade, a heart of pure darkness and a heart of pure light must clash."

"That seems to be the gist of it, sir," the Light Army Keyblader who'd brought the journal reported.

The man nodded, snapping the book shut. "Excellent work."

The man allowed himself a small smile at the praise, but it fell away soon after. "Sir, Master Trevor was captured at the battle."

Tollun was unconcerned by this matter. "That's of no importance," he responded, waving his hand as if to brush it off.

"But…sir-"

"He sacrificed himself for a noble cause," Tollun interrupted impatiently. "We must make sure it wasn't a waste."

The Keyblader hesitated, then nodded. "What would you have us do, sir?"

Tollun's silver eyes narrowed. "Who do you think would have a heart of pure darkness?"

The Keyblader lifted his eyes slowly. "The Dark Army?"

"Yes," Tollun agreed, the beginnings of a smile pulling on his lips. This was it; his chance for greater glory than he'd ever imagined. He'd destroy the Dark Army, and become the greatest hero there ever was. "Organize the others; in two days time, we shall attack them."

"Sir!"

Neither of them knew about the spy lurking in the shadows.

"**A heart **of pure darkness and of pure light…" Viril murmured thoughtfully.

"That's what the Light Army was saying, sir," the Dark Army spy replied, still hunched over in a bow.

Viril drummed his fingers against his throne, red eyes flickering with suppressed anger behind his long bangs. _I will destroy the Light Army._ He remembered once - seemingly so long ago now - that he'd been one of their ranks. Then he'd been wrongly accused of a crime he didn't commit, and was stripped of his armor. The Dark Army had been kind enough to take him in after they'd found him; now, he wanted revenge on the bastards who'd betrayed him. And he would get it. "What did they say they'd do?"

"They'll attack in two days, sir."

"Then mobilize our forces," Viril ordered. "We will meet them in two days' time."

The man nodded and stood to leave, then hesitated. "Master Viril? Do you know where Xuren is?"

The leader of the Dark Army didn't; however, he didn't have time to think about it. "It doesn't matter," he growled, swiping out a hand. "Just make sure that everything is ready in time."

"**Damn **it, you got us lost!"

"_I _got us lost? How did I get us lost?" "You're the one who was giving directions!"

"I'd know where we were going if we weren't flying!"

Gillick's eye twitched behind his helmet. The two of them had flown through the night and now, as the sun was beginning to rise, both were tired, irritable, and lost. "You can still see-"

"Hey, wait!"

The girl jerked in his arms, causing him to pull up abruptly and tighten his grip around her. "Do you _want _to fall?" he asked irritably.

Mala ignored his comment, pointing and saying, "I think that's it!"

Gillick followed the direction her finger was pointing in to the sight of what looked like a camp. He snorted, and without further preamble flew down towards it.

He heard alarmed cries long before he'd even landed. In hindsight, he realized it hadn't been his smartest idea to come back to the Silver Fang still wearing the armor of the Knight. From the look on Mala's face, she was having similar regrets. "Wait!" she called out as Gillick landed. Struggling out of his arms, she called out, "It's alright! He isn't going to hurt you…this time." She glanced back at him with a sheepish expression; they both knew how unbelievable those words sounded.

"Mala!"

Both heads whipped around to see Riun hurrying their way. At the sight of Gillick, however, he slowed, looking cautious. "Relax," Gillick said, rolling his eyes despite knowing no one could see the gesture. "I can control this now." _Hopefully._ He could still feel the Knight's power, though the temptation to use it had dwindled since the end of the battle in Xeiruwe.

Riun's blue eyes lit up. "I knew you could do it!"

"Well, now isn't this a surprise." He turned his helmeted head towards the dry voice. Allia was standing a few paces off, one hand on her hip and a wry smile stretched across her face. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd manage it. But it's a good thing," she said, cutting his protest short, "considering the fact that the Light Army's been causing a little bit of trouble."

"That's an understatement," another Silver Fang warrior interjected. He glanced warily at Gillick, then slowly continued, "They killed Silver."

Mala and Gillick both stiffened at the revelation. "What?" they exclaimed in unison, looking at the man in shock.

The Silver Fang warrior nodded. Allia snorted. "Hmph. You make it sound terrible."

The man glared at her. "It _is _terrible."

"Not completely," Allia responded. She motioned for the others to follow. "Come on; there's something I need to show you." Wordlessly, the trio followed behind her.

The assassin led the way into the tent. Gillick stiffened the moment he entered. The boy who knelt across from him, hands tied behind his back, looked at him with blue eyes stretched wide. "Wh-what's that thing doing _here_?" he exclaimed in shocked fear.

"Trevor?" Mala's voice exclaimed behind Gillick. She pushed quickly past him, looking at the light Keyblader in surprise.

Trevor's blue eyes flashed to her. For a moment, they held an odd expression. "Mala…" Then his gaze suddenly hardened, and he struggled against his bonds. "Let me go! We have to fight that thing before it kills us!"

Gillick slowly clenched his fists. "Shut up, Trevor."

His struggling ceased in an instant. He slowly lifted his head to look at the form of the Knight, eyes wider than what the older boy had thought was humanly possible. "…Gillick?" He snorted, and answered by allowing the armor of the Knight to return to its holder. The runes on his arm dimmed as the power of the Knight receded. Trevor was still looking at him in shock. "My brother's…the Knight?"

Gillick couldn't help remembering his battle against his sibling back at the Dark Army prison. Eyes narrowing, he responded coldly. "Brother? I have no brother."

"Gillick!" Mala protested, and Riun's innocent eyes stretched wide at the remark.

Trevor dampened considerably. "…I see," he said slowly. His head lowered, though his eyes continued to focus upward. "I'm not interested in being related to a _monster,_ anyways."

"Trevor…!" Now Mala turned on _him_, looked appalled. Gillick glared at him, wanting to make an angry retort.

However, he knew he didn't have time for that. Inhaling deeply, he turned to Allia and asked, "Did the Light Army get Silver's journal?"

"I didn't see it on her," the assassin reported.

Gillick's amber eyes narrowed. "Damn it." He kicked at the ground. "Damn it!"

"Gillick…?" Riun asked, looking at him nervously.

His eyes flicked to his companions. "They know how to summon the X-blade now."

"I think we'd figured that out," Allia commented dryly.

"You don't understand," Gillick protested immediately. "If they try to make it, they'll only end up destroying everything."

"What are you talking about?" Mala asked.

"The weapon's broken," he informed her. "The Knight holds half its power. It's unstable the way it is, and is the key to a gate with a lot of power behind it. If its summoned, that power's going to rip us apart."

There was silence in the tent for several minutes. Then there was a quiet, acidic laugh. "Right," Trevor commented. "And why should we believe you?"

"What'd you say?" Gillick hissed, glaring at the younger Keyblader.

Trevor slowly met his gaze. "You _are _the Knight, after all."

Anger flashed through him. Acting on impulse, he stalked forward and grabbed Trevor by the collar of his shirt, ignoring Mala's protests from behind him. He dragged the boy out of the tent and some distance away from the camp before whipping him around to face him, brining his furious face up close to the younger's. "Don't act like you know everything," he growled. "You don't know what the hell you've gotten yourself into."

Trevor looked at him for a few moments before turning away. "What does it matter?" he muttered. "Nothing matters anymore…"

A fist collided with the side of his face. The boy's blue eyes widened in shock as Gillick shook him forcefully. "You. Damn. _Idiot._" He vibrated with fury. "You're giving up on everything, just because your precious Master abandoned you? Even after I _warned you_?" He drew his younger sibling closer, forcing him to look him in the eye. "The people who were really loyal to you were the ones you pushed away, and you kissed the feet of a snake-hearted bastard. Well, guess what, _little brother_? Now you don't have anyone to turn to." He threw him to the ground, summoning his Keyblade. Trevor's eyes flickered with fear briefly, but then he looked away.

Gillick slashed the weapon down, cutting through the bonds and leaving small wounds on Trevor's hands in the process.

The younger boy looked up at him with eyes stretched wide in surprise. "You're letting me go?"

"There's no point to keeping you captive, right?" he growled. He released his Keyblade and turned away, but hesitated before he left. "You're always relying on other people to help you be strong…when are you going to realize that you have power, too?"

He left his younger brother to ponder his words, not wanting to admit to himself the part of the that still cared.

"**Alright, **everyone, move along in an orderly fashion!"

Gillick walked slowly along the outside of the group, eyes narrowed. After revealing what he knew to the Silver Fang, a brief outbreak of panic, and an annoying argument about who would lead the Silver Fang now, a rough plan had been formed: the warriors would simply go into hiding. They could think of no alternative to avoiding getting caught up in the terrible onslaught that was sure to come, and believed that perhaps, if they hid themselves well enough, they could avoid being hurt by the malfunctioning X-blade.

Gillick knew that wasn't true, but could think of no better alternative and so remained silent.

Well…no better alternative except one. _It's a ridiculous plan, _he told himself again. _There's no way it'll work…even the Knight can't defeat the Armies._

He knew that, if he flew in as the Knight, he might be able to do a little bit of damage; but, realistically, he wouldn't win. He would die, that was certain, and the Armies would most likely end up destroying the world. But it was the only faint light of hope they had.

An odd, melancholy feeling entered his heart, along with a large amount of resentment. _Why? _he wondered. _I didn't ask for any of this._ Why did Keybladers have to ruin _everything_?

…But he was a Keyblader as well. If he stayed back, out of this, he'd be just like them.

That didn't mean he wanted to do this.

_I don't want to die._

He'd been a warrior for a long time; he'd long since accepted that the risk of death came with the job. Every fight he'd ever gone into came with that risk. But never once had he attempted to go into a fight _knowing _that there was no chance he'd survive. All his instincts rebelled against this; he could hide with the Silver Fang; maybe their plan would work.

His heart told him they'd fail, and he'd already been running too long.

Gillick looked at the tunnel the Silver Fang were filing into. Mala and Riun glanced back at him. "You coming?"

He shook himself out of his thoughts. "Yeah." He headed into the depths, the two close behind him.

As they walked, he realized the tunnel was sloping underground. _Like the one I found Senn in, _he realized. A faint hope stirred inside him; that this was a place with magic imbedded in it, and that they really _would _be safe here. However, upon entering a larger cavern, he saw no glowing water, or any other sign of magic, and that fragile hope shattered like glass.

"I can't believe it's come to this," Mala muttered. Gillick murmured his agreement, and Riun edged closer to both of them. The thief girl shook her head. "The possible end of the world…" She turned wide eyes towards them. "It's hard to grasp."

Gillick felt his heart sink lower. "No kidding."

There was a long stretch of silence before Mala and Riun began to head away. Gillick watched them go, conflicted. _The last thing I wanted to do was get involved with the Armies again, _he thought bitterly. He looked after the two, and relented silently. _But I have to protect them._

**It **wasn't until things had settled down and the members of the Silver Fang had fallen asleep that Gillick slipped out of the cave and traversed the tunnel into the outside world. The night air touched his skin as he slowly reached for the panel on his shoulder. _Stay where you are, _he silently begged Mala and Riun - his friends, he admitted to himself. _We don't all need to die in a suicide mission._

Then he slammed the panel. He took off into the night sky the moment his armor had settled around him, his heart resolved.

_I am ready to die._

* * *

><p><em>That'd be the end of chapter sixty - seven. We're nearing the climax! Please, review?<em>


	68. Keyblade War

_Here's chapter sixty - eight. Thank you caitlinkeitorin, scrawlx1012, and kingawesome for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - Eight: Keyblade War**

Tollun lifted his head. Not far off, he could see a large mass approaching. "So, they've come to meet us."

"Sir? What should we do?"

Tollun frowned, but responded immediately, "We'll keep going forward." He felt mildly disturbed at the coincidence, but it would save his army the trouble of continuing their march.

The two armies stopped when they were several yards away from each other. The leaders stared at each other across the expanse. "Viril," Tollun said, silver eyes flashing.

"Tollun," the Dark Army leader responded, his bangs parting slightly to reveal the red of his eyes.

Both sides stood tense and still; a single action would be the catalyst for the masses of Keybladers to launch at each other, blades flying. As if they'd rehearsed it, the leaders of both Armies lifted their hands and slammed the panels that would release their armor.

The Keybladers that hovered behind them copied their actions, summoning their weapons with war cries and lunging forward.

The Keyblade War had begun.

**Gillick's **wings beat rapidly, trying to gain speed. _Where the hell could they be?_ He knew the Light Army would act on the information they'd received, but that didn't mean he knew where they'd be. He gritted his teeth in frustration. _Damn it! I don't have time to be searching!_

Then a sound reached his ears that caused him to pull up short. He stopped, hovering for a few moments and listening intently. After a few moments, he tuned in to a faint but familiar sound; the sound of battle. _That way!_ He swung towards the noise, going slow at first to make sure he was going in the right direction, then increasing his speed when he was certain. Before long he was going at full speed, his hidden eyes locking on a dark mass that was rapidly become more distinct.

He blanched when he saw the sheer size of the opposing forces. _So many of them…_ The Dark Army and Light Army must've had every Keyblader at their disposal out there, fighting viciously, not for the purpose of annihilating the other, but for creating the X-blade. He stopped to hover over the battlefield, his hidden eyes sweeping over it as the faint hope he'd had shattered. _What the hell was I _thinking_? There's no way I can do anything about this!_

During his hesitation, a Keyblader's eyes happened to stray upwards. A finger pointed up towards the armored figure, his mouth parting in a cry. The Keyblader who was moving to strike him hesitated to glance upwards. He did a double - take, then shouted loud enough for Gillick to hear, "It's the Knight!"

The power snapped inside him, seemingly bursting into life at the sound of the uproar. His war cry came out as an inhuman roar, and he dived to the ground, summoning his Keyblade and lifting it to shoot a wave of darkness. The fact that his presence was causing panic restored the little hope he'd had. _I'm here; I might as well do something._

He didn't know that that something would amount to much…but at least he could say he tried.

Gillick swung his Keyblade out, letting another stream of darkness spill from it at the attacking Keybladers. The warriors, disoriented from their battle against each other and their fear of the Knight, were doing little to escape. He smirked behind his helmet, feeling the power surge through him. "Flare," he hissed quietly; the dark tendrils of flame exploded around him, incinerating several Keybladers.

The runes on his arm pulsated fiercely, pain suddenly burning them. His breath hissed out between his teeth as he dropped his Keyblade, reaching up to wrap a clawed hand around the glowing marks. _What the hell?_ The power, which had once seemed so alive, which had become one of his greatest temptations, seemed to be pulling back inside him.

Then it lurched forward.

The feeling was disorienting at first, but quickly became painful when the power slammed into his chest. He gasped, doubling over as he clutched at his chest. The power continued to surge forward, trying to pull out of him by force. It pulled back for a few moments before ramming into his chest again, causing his legs to buckle and him to fall to one knee. He suddenly felt short of breath, his lungs not seeming to be functioning properly. The clawed tips of his gauntlets screeched against the metal plates protecting his chest. _What…is this?_

Then a realization dawned on him. The armies were two massive separate forces of light and darkness; they were clashing against each other to create the X-blade; the Knight held half of the weapon. The power, with so much light and darkness around it, was trying to free itself; trying to return to its other half. But the runes on Gillick's arms trapped it inside his heart and body.

Gillick suddenly felt something collide with his chest. He released a pained, startled, very human cry at the strike. He whipped his head around and saw the Keybladers advancing on him, still cautious because of the Knight's reputation, but growing braver now that they'd seen him in pain. Realizing he'd lost whatever advantage fear had given him, he spread his wings and flapped them rapidly, pulling himself up into the air, away from the Keyblader's weapons.

He hovered in the air high above the battlefield, his wings faltering as the power continued its internal assault against him. He slowly reached for the runes on his arm, fingers twitching to release the seal and free himself from the pain the power was causing him. He paused just short of doing that, his mind recalling what Senn had told him. _Damn it…_

Then another thought crossed his mind: _If I release the Knight, then the X-blade would be whole._ It would be a horrible idea to allow that much power to be in the hands of people like Tollun and Viril, he knew…but was it worse than a malfunctioning weapon taking out the world? He felt the bitter pain of defeat creep through him. _Sometimes there are no good choices._

He touched the runes on his arm. The power almost seemed to purr with pleasure, its attack easing off slightly. The boy ran his fingers along the runes, silently wondering how exactly he could break the seal.

A fireball flew by close to him, jolting him back to the present. He spun away, trying to avoid any other attacks that were shot towards him. The power withdrew again, leaving him feeling cold and weak. He gritted his teeth in frustration. _I don't have time for this!_

As far as he could see were Keybladers. The mass of people fought against each other, weapons, magic, and blood flying across the battle field. The sheer amount and force of the attacks was devastating the landscape. As far as Gillick looked, he could see no end. _Should I really be giving the X-blade to these people?_ He snorted. _They'd destroy the world, with it complete or not._

If he was truthful…he wasn't completely anxious to give up the power of the Knight, either, despite the pain.

Remaking his decision, he tried to coax the power into cooperating with him, swooping down low towards the battlefield. It struggled against him, but slowly lent him a small portion of it. Frustration seethed inside him at how hard it suddenly was to draw on the power, but it was enough to allow him to fire off another Flare spell in the middle of a group of Keybladers. He curved upwards slightly, then tilted his wings and swooped back down, relying on his own powers this time and launching a blast of darkness.

He quickly noticed that word of the Knight's 'weakness' hadn't spread; those Keybladers who hadn't been nearby while his power was attacking him panicked at the sight of him. Some fled, causing chaos with those they fought with and against; others attacked him desperately. The result was that the Keybladers had stopped paying attention to who they were fighting; they simply attacked whoever was closest to them, jerking whenever he swept in to low.

What was once a battle between Light and Dark was now simply a matter of survival.

As Gillick continued his dives down to the battlefield, releasing magic with each strike, he marveled at just what fear could make a person do. He snorted, the sound reverberating within his helmet. _Cowards._ He thought of Senn, and added, _I don't think _any _of them have courage._ If they'd come to their senses and realized that if they teamed up - even just a few of them - they could beat him, he'd be done for. But no one seemed to think of that.

Unfortunately, Gillick's actions didn't seem to do anything to hinder the destruction caused by the Keybladers; the land was still being torn apart as the mass battled. The only thing he could console himself with was the fact that Light was not necessarily battling Dark.

The power inside him chose that time to renew its furious bid for freedom.

Gillick let out an involuntary cry, clutching at his chest. His wings failed him and he fell out of the sky, plummeting towards the ground below. He tried in vain to catch himself, but he could only open his wings enough to slow his descent. He impacted the ground with a thud, the landing knocking the wind out of him. For a few moments he lay there in a broken heap, stunned. When he'd regained his breath and the power had let off a bit, he lifted himself up, his wings sliding back beneath his armor. The area around him was oddly quiet; why?

Then, as he lifted his head, he noticed the Keybladers staring at him. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to his feet. He tried to call on the power of the Knight, but it was receding deep inside him, refusing to allow itself to be called out.

The glowing of the runes faded to almost nothing. As Gillick looked at the Keybladers around him, he felt a sense of impending doom. If there had been any hope - for his survival, for the prevention of the X-blade coming into being - it was now gone, broken on the ground where he'd landed.

But he'd be damned if he went down without a fight.

His Keyblade materialized in his hand, and he launched himself forward into the fray.

**Trevor **wandered idly, not paying much attention to where he was going. Where _could _he go now? He couldn't return to the Light Army; they'd abandoned him. The thought hurt, and he clenched at his heart. _Master Tollun…how could you?_ He remembered what Gillick had told him, and flinched. _Brother…I'm sorry…_

But then he remembered what his older sibling was, and he recoiled. He didn't want to have anything to do with him any more.

Trevor didn't know how long he'd walked before he heard the sounds of battle. He lifted his head in surprise. "What's going on?" he murmured aloud, looking at the mass that had appeared some distance off. Curious despite himself, he continued towards the scene.

He froze, going numb with horror when he got close enough to see what was going on. Keybladers - hundreds, maybe thousands of them - were battling on the plain before him. He stumbled backwards several paces, blue eyes stretching wide. _Is this all…for the X-blade?_ He couldn't even wrap his mind around it.

Then an all-too-familiar cry reached his ears. His head shot up and he saw a shape plummeting from the sky. "Gillick," he murmured, taking an involuntary step forward.

Then he hesitated. _No. He's the Knight. He's been my enemy…for so long…_ There was a part of him, though, that disagreed. Even when they'd fought, Gillick had always looked out for him. His older brother had tried to save him from his fate; a fate he'd been too stubborn to accept.

"_You're always relying on other people to help you be strong…when are you going to realize that you have power, too?"_

Even after Trevor had stabbed in the back, been willing to kill him, recoiled in fear…he'd still been trying to help, in his own blunt way.

"_The people who were really loyal to you were the ones you pushed away."_

Trevor's eyes flared with new determination. "I know I can't earn your forgiveness," he whispered, "you never did give it easy. But I'm not going to betray you again." Before he went for his brother, though, he was going to need some help.

As he took off at a full sprint away from the battlefield, his blue eyes flared, changing color into pure, untarnished silver.

**Gillick's **Keyblade collided with another Keyblader's, the sound of the weapons ringing out amongst countless others. His reputation as the Knight had once been a blessing; now, it was a curse. Where usually the Keybladers would be focused on one of their many other opponents, they now had something greater to face; the monster known as the Knight had shown up in the middle of their battlefield.

Gillick felt attacks pummel his armor, and felt a brief flash of relief that he at least _had _armor to protect him. _It'd be better if I could use the Knight's power, too._ It was still huddled in his heart, hiding out of his reach.

He drew his blade up quickly, parried a strike, then summoned an Aeroga spell to force the Keybladers that were converging on him back. He tried to draw out his wings and escape, but they, like his powers, refused to return. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he swung his Keyblade, sending out an arc of darkness. He spun around in a tight circle, Keyblade out, to try and keep the various Keybladers away from him. He lunged towards one, blocking her counterstrike and forcing her Keyblade to the side before plunging his clawed hands into her throat. He jerked the appendage out and kicked behind him at the same instant, dropping to the ground and rolling out of the way of any attacks that would come up behind him. He returned to his feet, shooting a Firaga spell into the midst of the Keybladers.

He knew that, the way things were going now, it wouldn't be long before he was overwhelmed. Feeling desperate, he dashed out further into the battlefield, looking for some sort of refuge. He felt strikes ring off his armor, and parried stray blows that came his way. He whipped around, the frenzy of the battle dragging him in. He became a part of the madness, and, for a few moments, his opponents would fight him like they would any other Keyblader. Then they would realize he was the Knight, and would invariably either run away, act like an idiot, or attack him with more ferocity.

Gillick slid his blade along the blade of another, allowing it to run up to the man's throat. It hit hard, sending the Keyblader flying backwards. He whipped around, already moving forward again, when another Keyblader stumbled into his path. He quickly stabbed the tip of his blade through the visor of the woman's helmet, piercing her skull and removing his weapon quickly. He ducked around two more brawling Keybladers, colliding into a third. He whipped around and his blade met with another's. The two struggled against each other for several moments before his opponent's eyes flashed with recognition. Gillick grabbed the man's head with his free hand and forced it abruptly backward, not releasing until he heard a snap.

He jumped over the falling body, his Keyblade gripped tightly in both hands as he brought it down in a powerful blow towards an unsuspecting Keyblader. She whipped around, her Keyblade pointed towards him and her mouth moving in words he couldn't hear.

Then lightning was jolting through his body, making him spasm. He skidded unceremoniously across the ground, but forced his twitching body back into an upright position.

He was in time to catch the Keyblade that was descending towards him. His arms shook as he stood slowly, trying to force back the woman. Her eyes narrowed, and she shouted, "Aeroga!"

_Two can play at that game._ "Aeroga!" Gillick countered.

The two powerful wind spells swirled up around them and collided with each other, the force stirred up by them sending all nearby Keybladers flying. The two who stood in the middle of their spells remained unharmed.

The woman narrowed her eyes at him as their wind shields died before both lunged forward, their Keyblades singing as they collided with each other once, twice. Gillick pulled a double feint, sliding around behind her, but she blocked it with a barrier. Frustrated, he kicked out a leg, hoping to move around the barrier and send her flying. She blocked his attack with her Keyblade, sending him off balance. He allowed himself to go with the motion, rolling over himself and returning quickly to his feet.

Her eyes suddenly stretched wide. "_That's _where I've seen you before. You're-"

Gillick didn't intend to give her time to finish that statement. "Aeroga!" he barked, the wind spell whipping up around him. She stopped speaking and summoned a barrier, trying to defend herself from the whirlwind. Gillick, however, had a plan for that. "Flare!" The dark flames exploded up around him immediately. The two spells collided together, creating a swirling, powerful vortex of dark fire. The other Keyblader's barrier was unable to stand up to the force; the last thing he heard from her was a scream.

When the whirlwind of flames dissipated, Gillick noticed that any Keybladers nearby had been killed. The attack may have been devastating, but without the power of the Knight, it had used up all of his magic; he would have to wait for his spells to recharge. Even more problematic was the attention he'd attracted, since the magical attack could be seen for miles. He had no doubt that other Keybladers would come find him, wondering who or what could unleash such an attack.

At that point, he'd be little more than a walking corpse.

He whipped his head around wildly, looking for some sort of refuge as the Keybladers began to converge on him. _There!_ A rock erupted from the ground some distance away. He dashed from the empty space amongst the ashes and bodies and barreled chest first into the throng of oncoming enemies, hoping desperately to get to that rock. He flailed his Keyblade wildly, the weapon cutting at whatever came his way. He felt attacks slam into his armor, denting it, but ignored them for the most part; he had a single goal in mind.

It seemed an eternity of struggling before he finally reached the rock. He jumped upward, releasing his Keyblade to grip the stone with both hands. Kicking, he pulled himself up on top and crouched there, panting. Now that he was elevated above the battle, the Keybladers would only manage to come at him one at a time.

Gillick took a deep, steadying breath and re-summoned his Keyblade, still in a half crouch on top of the rock. _I am a fool._ He slashed the weapon down, causing a Keyblader to go tumbling back. _What did I think I could do?_ He blocked another strike, then clawed at the man's helmet, breaking his visor and sending him sprawling across the ground. _I'm such a freaking idiot!_ He struck at another person quickly, then swung his Keyblade in a low arc along the side of the rock, causing Keybladers to go tumbling down into the dirt.

The power chose that moment the unexpectedly surge forward, struggling against the seal that bonded it to him. Gillick jerked at the sudden pain, a choked gasp escaping him and echoing through his helmet. Caught off guard from the sudden attack, he lost his footing on top of the rock. His Keyblade slipped out of his grip, and he began to tumble towards the waiting Keybladers below.

**Mala **chewed her lip. "Where in the world is he…?" She knew Gillick wasn't exactly a people person, but…to go missing _now_?

She felt something tug on her pant leg, and she glanced down at Riun. His eyes were clouded with the same worry that she felt. "Mala, do you think he's alright?"

The thief girl sighed. "I don't know…" She looked at the tunnel, an alarming thought suddenly hitting her. _No, he wouldn't…he's not stupid._ But he had said the Knight had half the X-blade's power…what if he thought it was enough to stop this?

"Mala?" Riun asked as she began to head towards the tunnel.

She came to an abrupt halt when some one burst through the entrance. Her blue eyes stretched wide when she saw who it was. "Trevor?"

He looked at her, and for a moment he had an odd expression on his face. "It's been a while…hasn't it?"

"Yeah," Mala agreed, feeling her heart ache. The last time she'd seen him…was when she'd first realized the truth about him. "How…did you find us?"

"I listened to the plans you made," he responded quietly. Then he shook himself, straightening. "But we don't have time to chat. Gillick's trying to fight the Armies on his own."

"What?" Riun yelped in surprise. Mala simply clenched her fists, looking away.

"I came here to get help," Trevor told her. "I can't save him on my own."

Mala felt the familiar fear begin to rise up inside her. She knew what was being asked of her; to go out into a battle between two powerful opposing forces; a battle where there was a large chance she would die. A battle was no place for a thief; it was the place for warriors.

The thought made it hard for her to swallow, hard to breath.

Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to stay away from something like that; she couldn't go, she'd never make it. She was not a warrior, not a hero; she wasn't brave, or strong.

But the heart pounding against her chest revealed something surprising to her; there was something she feared more than death. That's why, with a shaking breath, she looked at the Keyblader before her and said, "I'll come with you."

"M-me too," Riun stuttered, clinging to Mala.

Trevor nodded. He looked at the rest of the Silver Fang, eyes suddenly hesitant. "I guess…I'll see if I can get anyone else to come, too." His shoulders slumped for several moments before he took a deep breath and squared them, his eyes flashing silver.

As Mala watched him go, the faintest beginnings of a sad smile touched her lips. _Silver…you would've been proud of them._

She was not a hero…but she would pretend to be, if it would help save her friend.

* * *

><p><em>That's the end of chapter sixty - eight. Please, review?<em>


	69. Kingdom Hearts

_Here's chapter sixty - nine. Sorry for the late update; my computer has a virus and won't let me on the internet, so I'm using someone else's. Thank you Draconet, caitlinkeitorin, and Dracula X for reviewing last chapter!_

**Chapter Sixty - Nine: Kingdom Hearts**

Gillick felt the strikes of Keyblades and magic before he even hit the ground, though the other Keybladers scrambled back before he landed. A part of him was screaming at him to move, to stand up; on the ground he was too vulnerable. But the pain in his chest, the power pulsating under his skin, refused to let him.

He felt more than saw the Keybladers converge on him again. Strikes battered against his armor, which thankfully refused to break despite the beating it was receiving. All armor, however, could only hold for so long.

He tried to struggle back to his feet, his body shaking. The assault of the Keybladers, however, refused to let up. "Not so strong now, are you, _Knight_?" one taunted.

"Who would've thought it'd be so easy to beat you?" added another.

He felt the fingers of his hand curl into the earth beneath it, digging furrows into the ground. Something inside him snapped. _Get the hell away from me!_ He wrestled with the Knight's power, forcibly bending it to his will. The power, unhidden in its attack against him, spread through his body, exploding around him as his head bent back and a wild, inhuman cry escaped his lips. His wings spread suddenly out of his back, flaring wide as the release of energy collided with all Keybladers nearby, sending them flying across the battlefield.

Gillick remained where he was for a few moments, panting, the Knight's power slowly ebbing until there was only a faint trickle of it in his conscious mind. Then he forced himself to his feet, using his Keyblade as a support, and surveyed the damage. Battered and injured Keybladers were dragging themselves away; they would fall in battle soon, no doubt. Others lay in a heap, bloody and unmoving, limbs scattered across the area. But despite the sudden show of strength, he was unsure if it would save him from another assault.

He slowly stretched his wings, his breathing still hard. He was bruised, his magic was gone, and he was tired from fighting both his external and internal battles. He couldn't rest yet; if he rested, he'd be attacked. He beat his wings, allowing them to lift him into the air.

His dull amber gaze surveyed the damage caused by the Keybladers from his high vantage point. The land where they fought had become disfigured, scarred beyond all recognition by magic and frantic fighting. Keyblades littered the ground, their tips piercing the soft earth by their fallen masters, for some reason not returning to where they had once come from. The once clean earth was stained red, decorated with the grisly results of war. Though the Keybladers' numbers had diminished somewhat, there were still too many of them.

He released a shuddering breath within his helmet. _Maybe they won't even come close to summoning the X-blade. Maybe they'll just kill each other off._ The thought gave him some hope. After all, light and darkness clashing didn't necessarily mean that the weapon would be created. He could leave; he didn't have to fight a pointless, suicidal battle.

Then the power returned, attacking his heart again and causing him to falter in his wing beats, almost plummeting back to the ground. His foolish hope dissipated; the Knight wouldn't want to escape so badly if there wasn't a high chance the X-blade would be summoned.

Gillick looked at his wings; with the power acting so unruly, he wasn't sure how long they'd last. The last thing he wanted to do was fall out of the sky _again._ Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, he swooped back down towards the battle.

He swung his Keyblade at the head of a Keyblader as he descended, the weapon hitting her with enough force to snap her neck. He back-winged before slamming his feet into the ground. He sprang up almost immediately, wings sliding back into his armor as his blade cut across another Keyblader. The edge of the helmet caught in the teeth of his weapon, and he continued his upward strike, pulling the helmet off of the man's head. Gillick swung quickly towards his neck, but the Keyblader lifted his weapon in time to block the blow. The two struggled for a few moments before Gillick pulled away, ducking low and allowing the off-balanced Keyblader to fall over his body and sprawl across the ground.

He felt something pierce the exposed skin of his upper arm, and hissed with pain. Whipping his head around, his hidden eyes sought the attacker. He saw a boy, his face terrified at the sight of the Knight. Gillick stared at him for a few moments. _Keybladers don't care about age; the moment you get your Keyblade, they send you out to fight._ There wasn't much the black - haired boy could do for the kid, though, except for jerking the Keyblade out of his arm and letting the boy live.

The battle quickly began to blur around him. His chest heaved as he fought for breath, sweat running down his skin beneath his dented armor. Blows of magic and blades rang off him, finally causing some cracks to appear in what was once such a sturdy defense. He spun and slashed, striking out at whoever came at him with a desperate fury, for once more on defensive than offensive. Every time his magic recharged itself, he would take the opportunity to clear an area around him and heal. Each time, however, he healed a little less, and he was unable to use a healing spell more than once; his focus was on forcing back the enemies that surrounded him. He was unsure of how long he'd been fighting; it seemed as everything blended together into the mind numbing dance of a battle for survival.

It was a dance he knew he wouldn't be able to perform for forever.

"Damn it, this has to end!" he panted aloud, his body shaking as he took a rain of blows with his Keyblade. He fired a Firaga spell with his free hand, causing the Keyblader to go flying back. He wracked his fatigued mind for some way to end this, to possibly convince the Keybladers to back off; for some time for him to think up some better strategy to stop them.

Then it hit him. "Tollun and Viril…" While the Keybladers wouldn't pay much attention to the deaths of their other comrades, they _would _pay attention to the deaths of their leaders. The sight of the Knight had initially spread panic; the sight of the Knight standing over the bodies of the men who led them would cause the Keybladers to flee completely.

…At least, that's what he hoped would happen.

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice the attack coming until it was too late. The Blizzaga spell hit him square in the chest, sending him flying backwards with a gasp. He slammed into the ground, trying to recover his breath. His vision flickered momentarily as he looked up at a Keyblader whose helmet was cracked, revealing one glittering gray eye. _Damn it…I can't die yet!_ He reached for the power of the Knight, but he knew he wouldn't be able to pull out the malfunctioning power before he was cut down by his opponent's weapon.

The single eye of the man standing above him suddenly widened. Gillick's eyes did, as well; a Keyblade was sticking through the Keyblader's chest. He reached up his free hand, as if to grab the blade and pull it out, but it was jerked backward before his hand could touch the metal. The man fell to the side without another sound.

Gillick scrambled up, prepared for a fight. Shock coursed through him when he saw the Keyblade's owner, his armor the same even after all the time that had passed. "Trevor?"

He wondered what expression his younger sibling's face held behind the helmet. "Hello, brother."

Gillick shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around it. "What are you doing here?"

There was a sudden sound behind him. The black - haired boy whipped around to block the strike, but an arrow beat him to it; the projectile pierced the glass visor of the helmet, killing the man instantly. "We…don't have time!"

He hadn't believed he could more surprised; now his limbs nearly grew stiff with it. "Mala…?" He was hardly able to turn his head to look at her.

The thief girl clutched her bow, an arrow half strung. Her face was ashen, and her body shook with restrained fear, but she nodded.

There was an explosion of fire nearby, and Gillick's gaze flicked towards it. There stood Riun, shaking with tears streaming down his face, but his hands raised from the use of the spell. Allia was flitting about near the young mage, taking out any Keybladers who got to close. "Quite the reunion, isn't it?" she asked, a grin on her face. She tipped her head towards the boy, adding, "Don't worry; I'm looking out for him."

"But why are all of you here?" Gillick protested.

"We couldn't let you fight this on your own," Trevor responded.

"What were you thinking?" Mala hissed, her eyes suddenly furious. "You can't take the Armies on alone, any more than anyone else could."

He shook his head, angry despite himself. "You idiots; there's not enough of you to do anything, either. All you did was increase the death toll!"

"Well," Mala responded slowly, "at least we'll live a little longer."

"We're going to help you fight," Riun added, his voice quiet.

"All of the Silver Fang are," Allia added.

"I…" Gillick trailed off, at a loss for words. These people…they'd actually cared enough to come for him, to fight beside him despite the danger.

Trevor's Keyblade suddenly whipped up, pointing at something over his shoulder. A sphere of light shot from the tip of the weapon, colliding with the person who'd been lunging at Gillick from behind. "We don't have time to lose focus," Trevor reminded him grimly.

Gillick shook his head. "Right. Let's do this." His younger brother nodded an assent, then lunged towards a Keyblader.

The Keyblade Knight slipped over to where Mala stood. "Why the hell did you come?"

"We already told you," she replied, lifting her bow and firing off her arrow. She flinched at the cry of pain that erupted from her target, looking as if she were about to be sick.

"I heard that," Gillick responded, his voice quiet despite his frustration at her misunderstanding his question. "I meant…why did _you_ come?"

She looked at him, her blue eyes glittering with an emotion he didn't understand. "I realized…there's something I fear more than death."

There was nothing he could think to say at her words. For several moments he simply stared at her, heedless of the battle raging around him. He felt his heart tug, twisting uncomfortably. _For so long, I've always fought alone. No one's ever been there to help me; I've always had to rely on my own power. But now…_

There were people who would fight for him, who would help him stand when he fell, who would face their fears for his sake. Even though those people were few…they still cared about him. Despite his faults, his mistakes, his unwillingness to grow closer, they wanted to be beside him.

And, he realized, these were the people that were worth dying for.

"Stay close to me," he whispered to Mala before he realized what he was doing. She looked surprised at his order, but nodded. Together, the two headed out into the battlefield.

Mala had another arrow strung and ready as they raced away. Gillick block the attack of a Keyblader who was lunging towards her, forcing him back with a powerful kick. He whipped his weapon above her head, the metal of his blade clanging against the metal of another's. Mala lifted her bow and released her arrow, the flying weapon breaking through the visor and piercing the Keyblader's skull. "We need to find Tollun and Viril!" Gillick shouted at her. She responded with a terse nod, looking as if she were trying hard to control her shaking. Gillick lifted his Keyblade, firing off a Thundaga spell at an approaching Keyblader. Mala strung another arrow and shot it at a man who was further off.

The two hurried forward through the mass of warriors, Gillick's Keyblade flying to try and prevent stray blows from reaching Mala, while the thief girl fired her arrows at the oncoming enemies. Interspersed with the Keybladers were the Silver Fang; he saw flashes of Trevor, Allia, Riun, and others, fighting furiously despite their lesser numbers.

Mala suddenly stumbled, falling forward into the dirt. "Mala!" Gillick skidded to a halt, shooting back the way he'd come and jumping up, a furious war cry tearing free of his lips as he struck at a Keyblader who lunged for her. The force of his strike caused a long crack to run up the man's armor. Gillick stood over his fallen comrade, crying out, "Flare!"

The dark fire that exploded around the two either killed or forced back any Keybladers that dared approach them. As the attack faded, he cursed under his breath. He was out of magic again.

"Gillick!" Mala cried in alarm.

The black haired boy looked down at her. "Why are you still on the ground?" he hissed, frustrated.

Then he noticed she was pointing at something. "Look!"

He followed her finger, and his eyes first widened, then narrowed when he realized who she'd seen, their helmets ripped from their heads. "Viril and Tollun…" he commented. He moved away from her, ignoring the instinct that begged him to go rushing towards the two Keybladers. Instead, he helped Mala to her feet. Looking at the empty quiver on her back, he told her, "Go find someplace to hide."

Mala, despite looking scared beyond belief, shook her head stubbornly. "No. I came to help you."

"You're not going to be much help now," he retorted. "You don't have any arrows left, and your scared shitless."

"I'm…not leaving," Mala repeated, her fists slowly clenching.

"Now's not the time to be stubborn!" he snapped. "Just get the hell to safety!" He whipped around and raced towards the two Keyblade masters before she had the chance to protest again.

Tollun and Viril were fighting furiously against each other, the power emanating from their battle causing the other Keybladers to give them a wide berth. Light and darkness flew from their weapons, lashing the armor of each separate man. Their blades sang as they collided with each other, the two performing intricate, drawn out combos that attempted to break through their opponent's defenses.

The power of the Knight screeched inside him, slamming repeatedly against his chest. He cringed, but ignored it, soldiering onward towards the battling Keybladers.

As he drew closer, he could make out their hurled taunts. "The Dark Army will fall, Viril, completely wiped away by the light!"

"No, Tollun; you're mistaken. The darkness will swallow the Light Army!"

By now, the power had given up simply attacking his chest, instead swimming wildly throughout his body. Unlike normal, where it gave him strength, it burned his veins, his very being seeming to be singed to the core.

But he couldn't stop now; not when his targets were so close.

He swung his Keyblade, reaching for the Knight's power and hoping desperately that it would respond to him this time. A wave of darkness flew from the tip of his Keyblade, colliding with the two Keyblade Masters. They flew back with cries of surprise. "What was…?" Viril trailed off as he saw him.

Tollun's silver eyes stretched wide. "The Knight."

Gillick didn't want to give them the chance to recover. He lunged forward, Keyblade drawn far out to the side. He brought it in for a powerful swing, but quickly found his weapon caught by another. Tollun's eyes narrowed. "I didn't know the Knight could use the Keyblade."

_I'm just full of surprises, _Gillick thought venomously. He sidestepped, allowing Tollun to fall forward as he drew his Keyblade back, intending to slam it across the light Keyblader's back. The man, however, quickly called up a barrier, and the boy seethed with frustration as his weapon clanged harmlessly against the magic.

Viril lifted his Keyblade, sending out a blast of darkness. Gillick ducked away quickly, while Tollun fell to one side and released a blast of light to counteract the darkness. Gillick lunged through the smoke the collision created, blade flying to slash at Viril's head. The man quickly lifted his Keyblade, bracing it with his arm as he block the younger Keyblader's strike. The dark man lifted a hand, a sphere of darkness forming in his palm. Gillick slammed his free hand into it, causing it to explode and sending both skidding backwards.

A blast of light suddenly collided with Gillick's back, causing him to stumble forward. He caught himself, whipping around in time to block Tollun's next strike. Tollun pulled back quickly, spinning to kick his feet forward. Gillick blocked the blow with his Keyblade, but was unable to avoid being hit by the man's weapon. He stumbled backwards, grimacing, before hearing a sound behind him. He dropped to the ground, allowing Viril to fly over him and crash into Tollun.

He returned to his feet in an instant, jumping and lifting his Keyblade above his head, ready to bring it on a powerful downward strike on both Keybladers. Tollun summoned a barrier, while Viril rolled out of the way, returning to his feet. Gillick jumped backwards, frustrated, and Tollun quickly regained his footing.

The three opponents glared at each other across the space, no one moving though their muscles were tensed and their bodies poised for action. "It appears…that the Knight is not as strong as I'd once believed," Tollun commented.

Gillick resisted the urge to shout an angry rebuke; he was still clinging to the faint hope that the Knight's anonymity and reputation would help him.

"It's ridiculous how long this battle's dragged on," Viril commented. "Surely the X-blade should have been created by now."

The Knight's power surged inside him. Gillick flinched, the two Keybladers unable to see the action because of his helmet.

Viril tilted his head towards Tollun, a faint red light glittering behind his long bangs. "Perhaps you got your information wrong."

Tollun's silver eyes glinted, a sheen appearing around them. "Don't mock me," he growled.

"Then make me stop, if you can."

The two Keybladers lunged towards each other. The power was going wild inside him, screeching in its plea for release. _Shit._ He shot forward without thinking, releasing his Keyblade as he came between the two Keybladers. He lifted his hands, grabbing onto the blades of the weapons that flew towards him and towards each other. He shook at the force exerted by the weapons, light and darkness flaring around their blades, but he refused to let them go. _I can't let this happen. I can't let them fight any more!_

He heard the shocked exclamations from the two Keybladers.

"What's it doing?"

"Why'd it block our attacks?"

Then the light and darkness surrounding the two weapons swirled together, combining and flaring around the three. The combined, restrained force exploded, enveloping the Keybladers. All howled at the pain it caused, the magic ripping at everything in its path. Gillick felt it tear at his armor, his skin; his helmet was blown completely off. He felt the pressure of the two Keyblades forcing themselves against his hands lessen, as if a great weight had been taken away. The boy's mouth was stretched in a soundless cry of pain, his back arched as he was forced to endure the combined power of light and darkness.

When the magic faded, it left behind three battered Keybladers. Viril had been flung to one side, his armor torn apart and blood streaming from open wounds. Tollun had been thrown to the other, his chest heaving beneath his destroyed armor.

Gillick still stood where he was, his body shaking with the effort to stand. His hands were still wrapped around the blades of the two Keyblades, holding them out to his sides. His armor was cracked and broken, revealing jagged, bloody wounds. His breath came in ragged gasps as his chest shook, his lungs silently begging for air. His head was still back, his eyes mostly closed and his mouth gaping open.

His hands slowly released their hold on the two Keyblades; they clattered to the ground, remaining there for a few moments before disappearing. His legs were suddenly unable to keep him up any more and he fell to his knees, his arms falling limply at his sides.

"You?" Gillick slowly opened his eyes and turned his head at the sound of the voice. Tollun was staring at him in surprise, half risen. "_You're _the Knight?"

"Who would've thought…?" Viril muttered; Gillick turned his head towards him and saw that the dark man was crouched, slowly making his way to his feet on unsteady legs.

Gillick was quickly discovering that he didn't have the energy to stand. _Damn it; I need to move!_ The only thing he could manage at the moment was slumping forward, his arms trailing in the dirt.

He noticed both leaders had re-summoned their Keyblades. Apparently, the attack hadn't affected them as much as it had him. "How?" Tollun uttered, sounding incredulous. "How is it possible that _you _have been the one causing us so much trouble?"

"It's impossible to understand," Viril added, and Gillick was sure his eyes were wide behind his bangs. "But I suppose this is a good chance to get rid of a problem."

Gillick's amber eyes shifted upwards, fire glowing in them. "Shut…up," he growled at them, defiance burning in his veins.

"You're not one to be giving orders," Viril commented, lifting his Keyblade.

A shape flashed in front of him just as the dark man brought his weapon down. There was a cry of pain, and Gillick's eyes stretched wide with surprise. "Mala!" The thief was standing in front of him, a Keyblade lodged in her shoulder. What was she doing? He'd told her to find safety.

Viril gave her an inquisitive look. "Oh? You wish to protect him?" Mala, who was breathing hard, said nothing.

Tollun slammed his Keyblade into her side, sending the girl flying. She let out another cry, and Gillick watched in helpless horror as she skidded across the ground and didn't get up. Tollun shook his blade once, blood splattering from the tip. "There is no time for her."

Gillick continued to stare at where Mala lay, his eyes wide. Then anger pulsed through his heart and into his veins. He whipped around to glare at the two Keybladers, ripping at the Knight's power. He let out a cry of fury, the sound turning into an inhuman roar as he dragged the Knight into his being. Power and darkness surged around him, forcing the two shocked Keybladers back. A spell floated over him, healing some of his more serious wounds and giving him the energy to stand. "You bastards," he snarled, the words only barely distinguishable. His wings slid out of his back, the darkness spiraling around him wildly. His amber eyes blazed, their depths beginning to glow. "I'll kill you!"

**Trevor **blocked the strike of a Keyblader, struggling against the force. He grimaced behind his helmet as he felt despair begin to wash over him. _How can we keep fighting this? It's impossible._

Someone else struck him from behind, and he stumbled forward. "Why would you betray us, general?" a voice asked, shock apparent in it.

Trevor closed his eyes tightly, his hands clenching. "I didn't betray _you_," he reminded him. "_You _left _me _at the mercy of the Silver Fang."

"It was for the sake of the Light Army," the Keyblader replied, his voice displaying confusion.

_For the sake of the Light Army._ How many times had Trevor used those exact words to justify his actions? He stood slowly, gripping his Keyblade with both hands. "Maybe," he conceded quietly as he turned to look at him, "but did it bother you at all that I was gone?"

The Keyblader blanched, and the boy realized that was his answer.

He launched himself forward, Keyblade colliding with his opponent's. The two exchanged a few blows, the sound of their fight mingling with the sound of the many others raging across the vast expanse.

Then the Keyblader broke past Trevor's defenses, weapon colliding with the side of his head. The force of the impact knocked his helmet off and sent him reeling. He stumbled, trying to keep his balance in his disoriented state. Something struck him again, causing him to fall. "I'm sorry, general; you should have stayed loyal."

Trevor looked up at him, trying to see through his daze. He didn't feel angry; instead, he felt an odd sort of calm. "Yes," he whispered, thinking of his brother, "I should have."

His eyes blazed silver, the orbs glowing. He stood slowly, light flaring out around him. From amidst the bright, swirling vortex, he saw the other Keyblader shield his eyes against the blinding blaze. Trevor narrowed his gaze, before swinging his Keyblade to the side and lunging forward.

"**You'll **kill us, will you?" Tollun commented, looking at Gillick's furious form and the darkness swarming around him. "I doubt that."

Gillick's fury reached its limit. He let out another cry, swiping his arm out to the side. The darkness that swirled around him shot forward, combining with the force of the Knight's power. Tollun's eyes stretched wide in alarm, and he quickly summoned a barrier to try and defend against the strike. Viril mimicked the action. The magical defenses were able to withstand the force of the attack, though the land around them did not; the already destroyed earth was ripped apart further, great furrows appearing in the ground.

If he hadn't been so consumed by his fury, he would've seen Tollun shoot a look towards Viril, whose attention was on the lunging form of Gillick. The leader of the Light Army suddenly whipped to the side, silver eyes blazing as he flew at his opponent, Keyblade coated in light. The Dark Army leader noticed his advance, and whipped around to face him, red eyes burning behind his bangs as his weapon flared with darkness. The two weapons collided, but this time, Gillick was not quick enough to intercept them.

The power that surged forth then sent the Knight flying backwards. Gillick skidded across the ground, but quickly started pushing himself up. Tollun and Viril remained in their places this time, eyes glowing brightly as their respective light and darkness flared up around them, each struggling against the opposing force.

Then the darkness and light fused together, and an entirely new power emerged.

Gillick gasped, his anger disappearing completely as the power surged against its restraints stronger than it ever had before. He let out a wild cry of pain, amber eyes stretched wide. It felt as if his body was being ripped apart; he wanted to make it stop, release the power that begged to be freed.

Then the pain abruptly subsided. He gasped for air, falling to his knees as the power shriveled inside him. The world rocked around him, and he slowly lifted his head. There, between the Keybladers of light and dark, hovered a broken weapon, the blade resembling a sword, two large keys crossed in an X to make the hilt and guard. He knew without having to be told what it was. _The X-blade._

"Finally!" Tollun crowed. "We can be rid of the darkness for good!"

"The light will perish!" Viril retorted furiously. Both reached for the hovering weapon, hands grasping the hilt as they struggled to take it for themselves.

Gillick struggled to his feet, anger and despair returning in equal measures. "You idiots! You've doomed us all!"

As if his words were the catalyst, streaks of wayward power began to fly from the weapon. Both Keybladers looked at the Key in shock, but had no time to make a sound before the power surging around the broken weapon engulfed them.

The world shook beneath Gillick's feet. It cracked, rocks lifting and breaking apart. He beat his wings, lifting off the fractured earth. The X-blade spun in the air, power flying wildly from it. Screams reached his ears as the entire world contorted.

Gillick froze when a sudden light shown down on him. His head whipped up to look at the sky, his eyes growing wide when he saw a blue, heart shaped moon. Senn's words came back to him, along with those of the sewing woman. "Kingdom Hearts," he breathed.

The X-blade suddenly stopped spinning. A powerful beam of light shot up from it towards the heart shaped moon. Kingdom Hearts seemed to absorb the power, and for a few moments, things were still.

Then light fell down from Kingdom Hearts, power and destruction radiating from it as it swept across the earth. Wherever the power of Kingdom Hearts landed, the land, the Keyblades, the bodies disappeared. "Mala!" Gillick called, looking towards the girl, who was unconscious on a piece of earth that was quickly rising. He spun towards her, beating his wings furiously. He could feel the power behind him, and reached out a hand, trying to grab her.

Then the light engulfed him. For a few moments, pain filled him. Then the light and the pain faded, and he found he could no longer move. Hopelessness and despair washed over him as, slowly, his body tilted and he fell into darkness. _That's it, then; I'm done._

We're _done._

**Gillick **hovered in darkness, his body curled up tightly. His hands gripped his arms, his wings half - folded around him. There was nothing to do; nowhere to go. Did he exist anymore? Did _anything _exist anymore? He wasn't sure.

What are you doing, Gillick?

The boy started briefly at the soundless voice, then he lowered himself back into his despair. "Leave me alone," he muttered aloud.

Why have you given up?

Gillick felt his frustration and sadness wash over him. "Can you see where I am?" he spat, uncurling himself. "There's nothing! Everything's _gone_!" He shook his head, no longer caring that his voice broke as he continued. "I'm not God! I can't make miracles happen! Why the _hell _shouldn't I just give up?!"

There was a pause before the voice answered:

They haven't.

A light flickered on the edge of Gillick's vision. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward it. The small, almost nonexistent point of light slowly grew, spreading out into several more. Within each light was a small shape. _Children, _Gillick realized, his eyes widening. He picked out a familiar shape among them, and cried out, "Riun!"

He continued to stare at the children, small points of light in the endless darkness that surrounded them, and felt his shoulders sink. _If only their light - their hope - was enough to fix things._ But there was no power behind it; it was simply their belief that things would get better that provided the light. If something gave that hope form, perhaps something could be done; otherwise it would fade into the darkness, like everything else.

Gillick's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Give their hope form…" He looked at the runes on his arm; they were glowing again, signaling that the Knight's power was still active and inside of him. The power of half of the X-blade. _If that weapon caused this mess…could it fix it?_ He reached up towards the seal, but stopped when the voice interrupted him:

Be warned, Gillick; the power of the Knight is great, but there is a price for releasing the seal.

Gillick froze. "A price?"

It will be unrestrained; it is still half the X-blade's power. If you allow it to be free, it will overwhelm your body. It will destroy you, Gillick.

Gillick's fingers twitched. "What…?" his voice came out as a whisper. Then a grim smile crossed his face, and a bitter laugh slipped between his lips. "So if I help save the world, I don't get to stay to see it?" He shook his head. "No. This isn't fair!"

Not all things are.

Gillick looked down at the runes, watching as the glow pulsated across them. Then he looked at the children's light; their hope, their wish to save the place they called home. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to die saving the world; that was what a hero did. He was not a hero.

But, in his heart, he knew that he couldn't run away. Not anymore.

He heaved a shuddering breath. "There was never a choice," he commented.

Then place your Keyblade to the seal.

He summoned the weapon, lifting it and pointing it towards the glow of the runes. Slowly, he placed the tip on top of them. The sound of a click resounded through the area, and the glow dissipated, the runes of the seal breaking apart.

His back arched as pain flowed through him; pain much greater than that which had entered him when the power had tried to break free. He couldn't move, he couldn't think; he could only cry out as the power raced through his body.

He suddenly felt something wrap around the hand holding his Keyblade. "Come on, Gillick; don't give up now." He cracked his amber eyes open slightly. _Trevor…?_ All he could see beside him was a vague light…

In the back of his mind, Gillick could hear Senn's words, quiet but insistent:

_Eventually, though, they were reminded of how much they cared about each other, as a family, and realized how foolish it was for them to be fighting against each other when, working together, they might be able to survive. _

His arm slowly lifted, his brother helping him to fight against the pain that coursed through him. Darkness crept along his arm, contrasting starkly with Trevor's light. The two combined together around his Keyblade, changing its form.

_They each took in their hands the hilts of their broken swords, and clasped those hands together; a silent way to agree that they would combine their powers, and their hearts._

In their clasped hands, they held the completed X-blade.

_The power of two hearts…when combined together…can unlock new doors._

A beam of light shot out from the tip of the X-blade, flying out into the empty darkness that surrounded them. It disappeared, and for a few moments, nothing happened.

Then a light appeared on the horizon. Unlike the light that had swallowed them, this one was warm, gentle. It spilled down around the children, giving them power, their hope form. The light around them grew, spreading out across the empty darkness, revealing people, places.

Everything that had been lost was being found again.

The X - blade shattered as Trevor released it, that power that did not belong to the Knight flying off into the distance. He looked at the spreading light, silver eyes glittering with awe.

Gillick felt the pain that had flooded him during the release of the X-blade begin to fade away, instead being replaced by a welcome warmth. Trevor turned his gaze towards him, eyes growing wide and his lips moving, though Gillick couldn't hear the words. He offered him a small, sad smile. _I'm sorry, brother; this is it for me._

Then there was nothing but light.

**Gillick**. Open your eyes.

The boy obeyed grudgingly. He blinked blurry amber orbs as he surveyed the area around him. He could see nothing. "This is Heaven, huh?" he muttered. "Funny, I imagined something more welcoming." Or was it Hell? He didn't exactly have a stellar resume.

You are not dead, Gillick.

This shocked him into full awareness. "What?" he asked in surprise. "But you said-"

I said it would destroy you, yes; but this is a place where you are safe from its power, so long as you remain here.

"And where is 'here'?" Gillick queried.

This is a place that exists alongside the Temporal world, but is completely separate from it. It is a place where time cannot flow, and therefore the X-blade cannot release its power on your body.

Gillick's eyes grew wide, and he took a few minutes to absorb the answer. Then he asked, "Did you bring me here?"

If I had not, the power of the X-blade would not have been contained.

Gillick snorted, looking to the side. "Figures."

But the X-blade cannot remain here.

"What?" Gillick snapped, startled and suddenly frustrated.

What remains needs to return to the Temporal world; if not, it could potentially do damage to this one.

There was a pause, before the voice continued:

Once brought here, a Keyblader can never truly escape. However, while you have the power of the X-blade, you may exit for a brief time…to allow its power to return to the place it belongs.

Gillick snorted, looking down, the faintest beginnings of a grim smile on his lips. "Of course." He inhaled deeply, then lifted his head. _I accepted my fate when I released the power of the Knight._ "Well? What the hell are we waiting for?"

…Would you like to say good-bye?

Gillick closed his eyes, memories flashing through his mind. Becoming a Keyblader, battling Trevor, wandering the world…

Returning home, meeting Mala and Riun, fleeing an assassin…

Revealing he was a Keyblader, discovering he was the Knight…

A small, true smile slipped onto his face. _They'll all be better off without me._ Mala, Riun, Trevor… _You'll move on. You'll survive. _"Naw," he murmured aloud. "I've never been much for sappy good-byes."

There was a pause for several moments, as if the voice expected him to reconsider his decision. Then:

Very well.

Gillick spread his broken black wings. He lifted into the air, eyes half closed as he was carried into the unknown.

_See you, everyone._

* * *

><p><em>And that's the end of the extraordinarily long climax chapter. Only the epilogue left. So, feel free to leave a review.<em>


	70. Epilogue: Seven Hearts of Light

_Well, here it is; the final chapter. Thank you Eddie Camp, kingawesome, Draconet, and caitlinkeitorin for reviewing last chapter!_

**Epilogue: Seven Hearts of Light**

"What are you doing, Trevor?"

The Keyblader jumped at the voice. "Mala! You startled me." She smiled slightly, and he ruffled his hair. "I was trying to find a way to travel between the worlds."

"Don't the Corridors of Darkness and Planes of Light work for that?" Mala protested, walking over to look over his shoulder.

"They do," Trevor agreed, "but they're not safe." He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Things were so much simpler when it was just one world."

Mala couldn't help but agree. When Kingdom Hearts have given power to the children's light, it had restored everyone who'd been caught up in the initial explosion. However, instead of one world, there were many, all separated by walls of darkness and light. "I think it's all the kids could do," she commented thoughtfully. "And…maybe its better. At least this way, the likelihood of…_that _happening again is slim."

Trevor murmured agreement. He turned sad silver eyes to her, and together they shared the grief of what had happened. "I miss him," Mala confessed quietly.

"Me too," Trevor agreed with a small nod. After the restoration, they had been able to find Riun, Allia, and even some of the Silver Fang. Gillick, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Mala knew this was the reason Trevor obsessed over finding a way to different worlds; he was holding onto the hope that his brother would be on one of them. She allowed herself a small smile at that. She could just imagine him, sitting on some remote world somewhere, muttering thanks that there was no one around to bother him.

Her heart ached at the thought.

"Anyway," Trevor said, quickly diverting things from depressing memories, "I think I know something that'll work." He stood and summoned his Keyblade, holding it out, "If I combine the Keyblade with the power of the Planes of Light, then…"

**People **crowded in a large throne room. They were dressed in extravagant garb, eyes focused on a small baby girl who was in a cradle at the front. The people seemed slightly ill at ease; an odd occurrence had happened while the gifts had been given to the baby. However, the moment had passed, and slowly people were beginning to leave.

"Wait," a voice called, breaking the silence.

Several eyes turned to stare at the newcomer - a boy with black hair and amber eyes who was dressed almost completely in armor. He strode forward, calling, "I have a gift for the princess, too."

A blue fairy flew up to him, shaking her wand threateningly. "You…! Stay back!"

The boy sneered at her. "What do you think I'm going to do? Eat her?" he asked, exasperated. He pushed past the offended fairy, bending down over the cradle. Slowly, he reached down a hand. Touching his index finger to her heart, he intoned, "Upon you, princess, I bestow a part of the Key. May it protect you, and may the light in your heart protect it." His finger glowed, and there was a flash above the baby's heart. When the light disappeared, he slowly withdrew his hand.

The king and queen were looking at him in shock and awe. "Child…what are you?" the queen asked.

Gillick looked at them slowly. "I am the Knight."

Then he disappeared before their eyes.

**Gillick **hovered in the area between times, his wings beating slowly. He twitched slightly. It was very disorienting, being in a place where everything lasted for both a second and an eternity. He shook his head. _Focus! You have one more person to find._

It'd been surprising to discover what had happened after he and Trevor had unlocked Kingdom Hearts and gave its power to the children. The world had reformed, becoming many separate ones, the various inhabitants scattered across them. Keybladers, after the horror that was the Keyblade War, became increasingly scarce. Kingdom Hearts disappeared back to where it'd come from, which was to be expected. He wasn't sure what happened to the other half of the X-blade's power, but he did know that he couldn't let his half loose; it would simply cause the same destruction as before.

He'd come up with the alternative: find a new vessel for his half of the power. Without the seal, the full force of it would be too much for any one human to handle. So whenever he returned to the one-world-turned-many - or the Temporal World, as the voice called it - he'd take a manageable chunk of the power and pass it on to someone. At first, he'd hardly been able to stand the pain, and had fled almost as soon as he passed along a small bit. As he rid himself of more power, however, it became increasingly easier to bear.

By now, he had given the power to six people; six babies, to be exact. After seeing the light the children had produced when everything had fallen apart, he knew that the only ones who would be worthy of this sort of power were the innocent children.

He had one chunk of power left inside him. He could keep it for himself, he knew; it was easily manageable now. However, the power of the X-blade had to return to the Temporal World; his fate was to remain here.

"Time to get moving," he growled, though he didn't know if the statement had any relevance in this place.

A portal opened before him. He walked through it, wondering in what time and place he'd end up next.

**Gillick **narrowed his amber eyes, lifting a hand to shield them from the blinding sun. Once his vision had adjusted, he allowed his gaze to travel across the area. The world he was currently in had a rustic sort of feel, the streets made of cobblestone and buildings looming up around him. Flowers were planted all around, small springs of water here and there. _Strange place, _he thought as he walked forward. A part of him wished to stay here for a while, but the power of the X-blade pulsed inside him, reminding him that he had a job to do.

"Hey!"

Gillick turned his head at the voice. A boy was looking at him, nose scrunched up and eyes narrowed. "What?" he asked irritably.

The boy blinked at him, then commented, "You look funny."

"_I _look funny?" Gillick retorted, glaring at the boy. "What the hell do you think _you _look like?"

The boy placed two fists on his hips, leaning forward and replying snidely, "_I _look awesome, you freak."

"What did you call me?" Gillick snapped, whipping around with his eyes flashing dangerously.

The boy blinked in surprise at the sudden action, then laughed nervously and ran away, calling, "Later, weirdo!" Gillick's eye twitched. Maybe he didn't want to stay, after all.

He continued walking for some time, and was beginning to feel discouraged in his search. "You've got to be _kidding _me," he growled irritably. "I can't find _one_-"

He cut his words off when an elderly woman appeared around the corner, nearly bumping into him. "Watch where you're going!" he snapped.

"Sorry," she muttered, dipping her head apologetically.

Gillick snorted, about to go on when he saw a bundle in the woman's arms. He froze, his eyes widening. "Is that…?"

The elderly woman looked up at him curiously. "A baby? Yes, it is." She tilted her arms forward, allowing him to see the face of the child wrapped in the blanket.

His heart missed a beat. Auburn hair framed a face with piercingly familiar blue eyes. The woman cleared her throat, and he realized that he had a shocked look on his face. He wiped it off, explaining, "She looks like someone…I knew once."

The woman smiled knowingly. "Ah."

Gillick continued to look down at the small child. His heart cringed slightly, but he knew he'd found it; he'd found the final vessel. "I have a gift I'd like to give her," he said abruptly.

The woman looked surprised at his comment. "A gift? What for?"

"For protection." He extended his hand, placing his index finger above the tiny girl's heart. Touching her chest, he whispered, "Upon you, I bestow a part of the Key. May it protect you, and may your light protect it." A light flashed between his finger and the child's heart, and he felt the last of the X-blade's power leave him. He took a shuddering breath. "Always."

He pulled back, beginning to walk away. "Wait!" the woman protested. "Who are you? Where are you going?"

Gillick glanced back at her. "I am - was - the Knight," he responded. "And now…I'm going away." His wings spread out from his back as he looked away. He beat them and lifted into the sky. As he flew higher, his form began to disappear, fading into the realm between times.

He allowed himself a small smile. _The seven princesses, _he thought, _bestowed great power by a Knight. This has turned out to be…quite the fairytale._

Then his form disappeared, his body and soul traveling to the place where time didn't flow, and where nothing existed. Nothing, that is, except for him.

"**Grandma, **tell me a story!"

The old woman laughed at her granddaughter's insistence. "Alright, Kairi," she conceded. Smiling at the child as she bounced excitedly on her bed, she asked, "What story would you like to hear?"

"The one you usually tell!" the young girl exclaimed, a grin across her face and her eyes shining brightly.

The elderly woman chuckled. "Again? But you've heard it so many times."

"But I like it!"

Her grandmother sighed in amused defeat. Slowly, she reached up a hand and ran her fingers along the helmet that sat nearby. It was an heirloom, passed down through her family for generations. No one knew who it belonged to, only that that person was very special…

For some reason, it reminded her of the knight that had visited Kairi when the child was only a baby.

She shook her head, drawing herself out of her thoughts. "Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed by the warmth of the light. Everyone loved the light."

Her eyes grew shadowed. "Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the world and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared."

She paused, and a small smile crossed her lips. "But small fragments of the light survived in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light still sleeps, deep within the darkness."

She looked very seriously at Kairi. "So, listen, child, and remember…"

She trailed off. When she continued, it seemed as if her words were echoed by another; the voice of an amber eyed Keyblader, trapped between times.

"_Even in the deepest of darkness, there is always a light._"

* * *

><p><em>And so, we have come to the end of <em>Before the Beginning.

_When I first started writing this story, I projected it to be around 40-50 chapters. And now here we are, at chapter 70 and 483 pages. Who knew this would go so long?_

_I would like to thank everyone who read this story; no matter how much fun a story is to write, knowing that others read and enjoy your work is amazing. So, to personally thank everyone who reviewed during the course of the story: BookGal26, SkyWarrior2, Burai Stelar, Grim Reaper Kid, KeybladeMaster97, Kamen Rider Ebon, DaniPotterLovesGod, Imagination Knight, UmmeiNinja, Graphicsnerd, caitlinkeitorin, Oishii Hanashi, Eddie Camp, Draconet, ThunderRiver411, kiyohunter, guest, Black Wolf XIII, Thaumaturgic Adversary, Cherished Tenshi, Twilight's Shad0w, Axel'sChakrams8, explosivebagel, Dracula X, Vixro, Destiny's Call, Flame Sergeant Reissem, JapanRules555, the traveler90, scrawlx1012, imademyfangirl, and kingawesome, thank you for reviewing through the course of this story! Thank you to everyone who favorited, alerted, or just simply read the story, as well. You guys are awesome for sticking with me this long._

_It's…kind of hard to believe I'm not going to be brainstorming any more crazy plot twists or battle scenes for _Before the Beginning _anymore. But at least one of the characters I get to keep writing about in _Phoenix Wings _(Gillick). If you have the time and desire, feel free to check it out, along with its prequel, _Guardian Twin.

_And now that we've reached the end, there is only one thing I have left to ask of you: review?_


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